Uber Partners With S.J. Town to Offer Free Rides to Curb Drunk Driving

A local town has taken the next step to battle drunk driving.

A month and a half after Evesham Township announced it would offer rides home for residents who have too much to drink at their local bars and restaurants, the town and Uber announced a partnership that falls in line with that policy.

Through Jan. 2, all Uber rides from select bars and restaurants to homes in Evesham between 9 p.m. and 2 a.m. will be fully paid for by the Township, Uber announced on Thursday.

To access the program, Uber users can open the app at one of the designated locations, select the EVESHAM safe ride option and request their ride.

“When we saw the dramatic increase in drunk driving, we knew we couldn’t just wait for this problem to solve itself,” Evesham Mayor Randy Brown said. “Uber has proven to reduce drunk driving around the country and this partnership will ensure that our residents don’t get behind the wheel when they’ve been drinking.”

“Uber commends Mayor Brown on his leadership in combating drunk driving and we hope this serves as a model for other towns and cities around New Jersey and across the country” Uber New Jersey General Manager Ana Mahony said. “We know that when people have reliable options like Uber to get a ride home, they’re more likely to make smarter choices.”

Pick-ups must take place at one of the following locations and drop-offs must be at a location within the Evesham Township limits:

• • Bertucci’s
  • Bonefish Grill
  • Brio Tuscan Grille
  • Carrabbas Italian Grill
  • Casa Carollo Bar & Grill
  • Champps Kitchen + Bar
  • Estia Greek Taverna
  • Evesham Memorial VFW Post
  • Flemings Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar
  • The Links Country Club
  • Little Mill Country Club
  • Marco’s Restaurant
  • Marlton Elk’s Lodge
  • Marlton Tavern
  • The Mexican Food Factory
  • Mikado
  • Outback Steakhouse
  • PF Chang’s
  • Redstone American Grill
  • Scaturro’s
  • TGI Fridays

In 2013, DWIs in Evesham spiked by 14.8 percent compared to 2012.

Two studies recently concluded that drunk driving related incidents are reduced in places with access to ride-sharing services such as Uber. The reports include a study completed in partnership with Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) which concluded that people make choices that result in fewer alcohol-related crashes when given more transportation options like Uber. In addition, an independent study from Temple University found that cities where Uber operates have 3.6-5.6% fewer drunk driving deaths than cities without access to ridesharing.

Last year New Jersey saw 146 drunk driving deaths and more than 1,800 people died in drunk driving accidents between 2003 and 2012, according to CDC.