Uber CT Teams with Mothers Against Drunk Driving for Holiday Safe Driving Initiative

Uber Connecticut, Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) and a handful of local partners have teamed up "to raise awareness about the dangers associated with alcohol-impaired driving this holiday season."

Uber and MADD stress to Connecticut residents that they should take the pledge to keep the roads safe and #LeaveTheKeys behind as they go out and celebrate safely during the holiday season.

At a press conference Thursday at the Hartford Police Department, Uber and MADD officials, as well as Lieutenant Governor Nancy Wyman, Hartford Police Department Lieutenant Robert Allan, and several other local officials and business leaders offered supporting remarks about the initiative. The speakers discussed new figures showing the increase in drunk driving deaths during the 2015 holiday season.

“Drunk driving is a tragic reality throughout the entire year,” said Matt Powers, General Manager for Uber in Connecticut. “However, the holidays pose a specific challenge to public safety, making the work of groups like MADD even more important. This holiday season, plan ahead and coordinate how you and your loved ones will get to and from the night’s festivities.”

Added Janice Heggie Margolis, MADD Connecticut Executive Director, “The holidays are a special time of year, when millions of Americans celebrate with friends and family. But as recent figures show, the holidays also coincide with tragedy for several hundreds of people. This holiday season - and every day - commit to make smart choices and not get behind the wheel if you've been drinking.”

From the Uber/MADD press release:

A few new statistics were revealed at the press conference: according to data from the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, there were 973 drunk driving deaths nationwide between Thanksgiving and New Year’s Eve last year - an increase from 957 the year prior. On New Year’s Eve in 2014, 64 people died from drunk driving (42 percent of all traffic deaths that occurred during that time), making it the second deadliest holiday of the year behind Halloween that year. In total, 10,265 people died from alcohol related crashes in the United States in 2015 - including 103 in Connecticut.

Uber and MADD launched a national partnership to help save lives this holiday season by reminding people to choose a safe ride alternative to take them to and from their parties and events. Everyone is encouraged to take a pledge not to drink and drive during the holidays. That pledge is being promoted with #LeaveTheKeys, while Uber also recently rolled out new in-app messaging on the pledge and road safety. Uber is also once again supporting MADD’s annual Tie One On For Safety campaign.

Uber and MADD have worked closely in Connecticut several times since 2014 to raise awareness for safe riding and driving. Past partnerships include special ride promotions and donations to MADD on Thanksgiving, the Fourth of July, St. Patrick’s Day, and New Year’s Eve, the annual “Walk Like MADD” event, the “Red Ribbon Campaign,” and more.

Uber is proud to be selected as the official Designated Driving App of Mothers Against Drunk Driving. To learn more about our partnership, visit our website.

Photo: Matt Powers, General Manager for Uber in Connecticut, speaking at Thursday's press conference. Photo credit: Contributed