Uber and MADD Put Safety First This Summer
By Colleen Sheehey-Church, MADD National President
With Memorial Day weekend in the rearview mirror and summer upon us, many folks are planning their vacations and taking to the highways for summer road trips. But despite its sunny perks, summer can be a dangerous time to drive. According to the National Safety Council, more than 9,570 people died on our roads from May 24 to August 31 in 2014. We can, and must, do more to encourage safe driving.
Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) is teaming up with Uber on a number of safety initiatives to help keep families safe on the road this summer. Starting this month, we’re launching a campaign to show how technology can improve safety on the roads. For almost a decade, MADD has put technology at the forefront of its Campaign to Eliminate Drunk Driving. We’re excited to build on that progress. We’ll be participating in events with local and national leaders and studying how people engage with apps on the road.
Road traffic crashes continue to be the leading cause of death around the world for people 15–29 years old. But a closer look at the data reveals that road traffic deaths (1.25 million in 2013) plateaued in 2007 despite a 4% global increase in population and 16% increase in car use. Interventions, including ones that harness new technologies, are already saving lives.
Take drunk driving. In the U.S., alcohol is still the leading cause of traffic fatalities. But we now know that when people have safe and affordable transportation options like Uber, they’re less likely to get behind the wheel. By providing a reliable ride at the push of a button, ridesharing empowers people to make better choices.
Stay tuned for more from MADD and Uber over the course of our June Road Safety Month, including products that help you travel safely. You can share our summer travel tips with your friends and families. We are excited to work with Uber toward a world where where families don’t have to worry whether their loved ones will make it home safely.
Colleen Sheehey-Church is the National President of Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the nation’s largest nonprofit working to protect families from drunk driving and underage drinking. MADD also supports drunk and drugged driving victims and survivors at no charge, providing a supportive service every 3 minutes through local MADD victim advocates and at 1–877-MADD-HELP. To learn more, please visit www.madd.org.
