Maricopa County, UBER team up to reduce drunk driving arrests during holiday season
Dec 16, 2015, 7:14 PM
(AP Photo)
(AP Photo)
PHOENIX — A popular ride-sharing company is teaming up with an Arizona government agency in order to try and reduce DUI-related arrests this holiday season.
UBER, a ride-sharing mobile application, is teaming up with the Maricopa County Attorney’s Office to reduce the arrest rate for DUIs this holiday season.
"There's no excuse to drink and drive this holiday season" @marcoattorney pic.twitter.com/IePilocn5A
— Uber Arizona (@Uber_AZ) December 16, 2015
Maricopa County Attorney Bill Montgomery said the partnership is a part of the state’s effort to highlight a safe and accessible alternative to drunk driving. He said while there is no excuse for drinking and driving, the ease of ride-sharing technology eliminates the obstacles that come along with hailing a taxi.
“If you thought about calling a cab, you had to have (a) phone number, and you had be willing to wait around and be sober enough to give instructions on where to be picked up at, and then be able to direct someone to get you home,” he said.
New users who download the app can use the promotion code “FREETRIP” to receive a $20 credit and existing users can use “EGGNOZAZ” to be entered into a contest to win $100 in free rides for New Year’s Eve.
Montgomery said there will be an increase in the number of holiday DUI task forces throughout Maricopa County until New Year’s in order to find impaired drivers and conduct roadside investigations.
“Unfortunately they find impaired drivers on the road,” he said. “The fortunate part to it is if you find the driver before they hit anybody while they’re impaired, you going to see to their physical safety and the physical safety of anybody else.”
