Uber, Smartphones and DUIs – Technology Saving Lives
By Adam J. Graves, Esq.
Just recently I have begun to notice a few things with ride sharing companies like Uber in Las Vegas Nevada. Their drivers are all around town after becoming legal to operate, but the most interesting thing I have notice as a criminal defense attorney who handles a lot of DUI offenses is that many of my clients have downloaded the Uber app and now take it regularly. And they speak highly of it.
With smart phones and ride sharing companies, many people are choosing to go out, drink and not drive. My clients inform me that the cost and ease is what they like about it. A ride is at your finger tips so why not use it?
My clients that have started using ride sharing companies like Uber range in age, which is surprising. Clients over 50 are using it, but it this makes sense because they have phones capable of downloading the apps and if they can figure out how to use their smartphone, they sure can figure out how to use the Uber app.
It will be interesting to see what the DUI rates in cities where Uber has been implemented will do. I know drunk people are using it and that’s a good thing, but if Uber can collect data showing a drop in DUIs in cities where they were permitted to operate, it might help with winning over new markets where regulatory and political hurdles exist.
If one does attempt to collect data on DUI rates going down due to Uber, one will have to factor in marijuana DUI rates that might be going up due to legalization. It is unfortunate that one does not even have to be high to get a DUI in many states, and statistics collected might make it hard to decipher what type of DUIs are being reported. However, DUI fatality rates might still be going down because these tend to be associated with high blood alcohol.
At the end of the day I know people are choosing not to drink and drive due to Uber’s cost and ease of use. This is just another example of how technology brings people together and saves lives.
This is not legal advice. This does not create a client-attorney relationship. Always seek legal counsel.
