The high number of fatalities due to drunk drivers in the US is a significant concern for many. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the cause of 33% of traffic crash fatalities is due to drunk drivers. While the number is still relatively high, it has gradually declined in the last few years.
The primary reason for the drop in traffic crash fatalities is thanks to ride-sharing apps like Uber or Lyft. Research shows that the applications have helped reduce the overall fatalities throughout the US.
A study by Michael Anderson and Lucas Davis shows that ride-sharing apps could reduce traffic fatalities due to drunk drivers by more than 6%. These apps played a critical role in reducing traffic fatalities throughout the US by 4%. Let’s look at further studies to understand the impact of ride-sharing apps on DUI accidents.
What Does The Research Tell Us?
Various studies show how ride-sharing apps have helped decrease the number of accidents caused by drunk drivers. A study in the Journal of American Medical Association has shown a significant decrease in driving accidents after the ride-sharing apps came to Houston, Texas.
The most notable change was on weekends, where convictions for impaired driving dropped by more than 15%. Another study by a group of researchers shows the effect of impaired drivers under the age of 30. Since most car crashes were due to drivers in this age group, it has declined significantly.
Thus, these researches show us how adopting ride-sharing apps has helped bring down the accidents caused by drunk drivers. Most importantly, it has saved the lives of younger people who used to operate their vehicles under the influence of alcohol.
Contradicting Research
While most studies show that ride-sharing apps have helped reduce the number of fatalities due to drunk drivers, a few contradict this point. Some researchers found that these apps had both negative and positive impacts, while some suggest they had a negative impact.
For instance, a study by John M. Barrios, Yael Hochberg & Hanyi Yi concluded that ride-sharing apps, such as Uber and Lyft, have increased traffic deaths. Their research focused on the deaths in cities, where the use of such apps is relatively higher.
On the other hand, the study by Angela K. Dills and Sean Eric Mulholland showed both positive and negative impacts of ride-sharing apps. Both researchers examined county-level data to find out the change in fatal crashes due to ride-sharing apps.
The researchers concluded that using Uber and other ride-sharing apps lowered the rate of injuries and accidents due to a DUI. It also noted that there were fewer arrests for disorderly conduct. However, there was an increase in thefts due to these applications.
What to Do If You Were Involved in an Accident Due To Drunk Driving?
While the number of accidents due to drunk drivers has seen some decline due to ride-sharing apps, there are still accidents happening. So, if you are involved in an accident due to drunk driving, you should contact a reputable criminal law firm in Washington State.