A New Jersey town is attempting to reduce its drunk driving problem by pairing with ride services to offer free rides to intoxicated individuals.

New Approach to Reduce Drunk Driving

Sin City has no shortage of bars and nightlife to entertain guests inside and outside of the Las Vegas Strip, but car accidents in Nevada and other states often take place when patrons try to head home for the night. While it can be easier to walk or take a cab in Las Vegas than in less populous areas, intoxicated individuals who cannot find other transportation often attempt to drive themselves instead. Various approaches are used to curb drunk driving, but a New Jersey town has decided on a unique solution to stop people from driving under the influence.

Stopping DUIs With Ride Program

Evesham residents decided to take action when the town seemed likely to have a record number of DUI arrests; 19 establishments that serve alcohol are participating in a program that allows patrons who have had too much to drink to grab a free ride from Uber. Individuals can easily arrange for a ride from Uber by using the phone app. This initiative is funded by donors in the 45,000-person town.

Multiple Options

Businesses and nonprofits also donated money to fund a second free ride program through another mobile app called BeMyDD. This includes a service that brings a person and their vehicle back to a residence. The town already had success with a pilot program that ran in September of 2015 where shuttles gave more than 350 people free rides, and this effort dropped DUI arrests 65 percent. An Uber representative said that partnerships with other towns could follow.

When Alcohol-related Crashes Occur

Drunk drivers could be found negligent when car accidents occur and be liable for damages suffered by those injured in a crash. An accident lawyer in Las Vegas may help file a personal injury claim after someone is the victim of an incident caused by a drunk driver.