Uber and GHSA are partnering to help educate Uber app users about critical traffic safety issues.
A July 2021 study found that ridesharing decreased US alcohol-related traffic fatalities by 6.1% and reduced total US traffic fatalities by 4.0%. Based on conventional estimates of the value of statistical life the annual life-saving benefits range from $2.3 to $5.4 billion.
Ride Credits for States
In 2023, GHSA partnered with Uber to make $500,000 in ride credits available to five states (CO, GA, IL, MO, TX) in conjunction with the national “Decide to Ride” campaign, which works in partnership with Anheuser-Bush and MADD, to encourage consumers to plan ahead and not drive if they’ll be drinking. GHSA staff provided technical and outreach support for this initiative.
Holiday Impaired Driving State Grants
Since 2018, GHSA and Uber have partnered to encourage people who consume alcohol or other impairing substances to use ride-hailing instead of putting themselves and others on the road at risk by getting behind the wheel.
In 2021, the Colorado, Connecticut, Maryland, New Mexico and Texas State Highway Safety Offices (SHSOs) were awarded $95,000 in grant funds and Uber ride credits to support initiatives to help prevent impaired driving during the holiday season, a time of the year when drunk and drug-impaired driving traditionally increases.
To learn more about how each SHSO used the 2021 grant funds and ride credits, read the GHSA news release.
Return to the Road Safety Campaign
To help address risky driving behaviors that have increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, Uber convened a road safety coalition comprised of experts at GHSA, the National Safety Council, Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the League of American Bicyclists to develop safety tips that remind road users to avoid speeding, distractions and other unsafe behaviors and to buckle up every trip — actions aimed to keep everyone safe on the road.
Rear Seat Belt Use
GHSA and Uber first collaborated with the launch of the Make It Click campaign to encourage back seat belt use. The campaign is rooted in data that shows backseat passengers are three times more likely to be killed in a crash if unbuckled, and more than half of backseat passengers fatally-injured in a crash would likely have survived had they buckled up.
Make It Click provided resources to states to encourage people to buckle up in every seat on every trip, particularly focusing on ride-hailing trips.
The campaign was launched in conjunction with NHTSA's annual, nationwide Click It or Ticket high visibility law enforcement mobilization. States were provided campaign materials, which included sample social media, graphics and a customizable news release that generated press events, news coverage and social media outreach.
In 2020, GHSA and Uber teamed up to create the first-ever National Seat Belt Day, observed on November 14, to encourage all motor vehicle occupants to buckle up every trip and in every seating position. In addition, Uber has used in-app notifications to remind riders to buckle up.
Bicycle Safety
GHSA and Uber Eats partnered to develop eight critical safety tips that were rolled out to bicycle delivery partners at events in major Uber Eats markets across the country.
These tips are based on interviews with delivery partners working with Uber Eats. Using this information, GHSA crafted safety tips addressing everything from proper helmet and bicycle fit to staying engaged behind the handlebars and being more visible to other road users.
GHSA encourages State Highway Safety Office members and other safety advocates to circulate these tips among their community partners to ensure all bicyclists arrive at their destination safely.