4th of July: Uber, MADD Join Forces for National Partnership to Prevent Drunk Driving

Submitted by Mothers Against Drunk Driving:

In anticipation of the Fourth of July holiday weekend—one of the deadliest holidays for drunk driving crashes—Uber Technologies and nonprofit advocacy organization Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) today launched #UberMADD, a national partnership designed to prevent drunk driving.

To kick off the campaign, Uber will donate $1 to MADD for every ride taken and $10 for every new rider in the United States between 6 a.m. local time on July 4 and 6 a.m. local time on July 5 when riders use the promotion code “UberMADD”.  

“Drunk driving is 100 percent preventable. With easy, reliable and affordable alternative transportation options like Uber, there’s no reason for anybody to get behind the wheel while impaired,” said MADD National President Jan Withers. “We are proud to partner with Uber to help prevent drunk driving because it’s another option at your fingertips for getting home safely.”  

#UberMADD is an ongoing partnership that will include regional educational campaigns throughout the year to encourage adults to choose a safe way home if they’re going to drink. 

The partnership is kicking off in time for the July Fourth weekend, which has one of the highest incidences of fatal drunk driving collisions.  

“For years we have heard anecdotally that riders rely on Uber instead of drinking and driving – and now we’re able to measure the impact that choice has on DUI rates,” said Uber Co-Founder and CEO Travis Kalanick. “Our analysis in Seattle shows a 10 percent reduction in DUI rates since Uber entered the market, and we are excited for the ways this partnership will continue to spread the word about the importance of making a safe choice – and taking Uber,” said Kalanick.  

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates that drunk driving crash fatalities increased by 4.6 percent in the United States from 2011 to 2012, and nearly half of fatal crashes during the 2012 July Fourth weekend involved a drunk driver. In contrast, according to Uber’s recent analysis of publicly available data, DUI arrests decreased 10 percent after Uber rolled out in Seattle.  

For more details about the partnership, please visit blog.uber.com/madd or www.MADD.org/UberMADD.