Uber has announced a new partnership with Mothers Against Drunk Driving to promote its July 4 donation program.
The peer-to-peer ridesharing company is using the holiday to kick off its new partnership by donating $1 to MADD, or $10 if the rider is new, for every ride taken between 6 a.m. July 4 to 6 a.m. July 5, according to an Uber blog post.
The Fourth of July is one of the deadliest holidays for drunk driving crashes, according to a news release.
"Drunk driving is 100 percent preventable. With easy, reliable and affordable alternative transportation options like Uber, there's no reason for anybody to get behind the wheel while impaired," MADD National President Jan Withers said in a news release. "We are proud to partner with Uber to help prevent drunk driving because it's another option at your fingertips for getting home safely."
Riders must enter the "UberMADD" code on the smartphone application before the ride begins. Rides can be paid for by connecting a credit card to the app.
"For years we have heard anecdotally that riders rely on Uber instead of drinking and driving—and now we're able to measure the impact that choice has on DUI rates," Uber Co-Founder and CEO Travis Kalanick said in a news release. "We've seen it in Seattle with a 10 percent reduction in DUI rates since Uber entered the market, and we are excited for the ways this partnership will continue to spread the word about the importance of making a safe choice—by taking Uber."
Uber has guaranteed a minimum $20,000 donation to MADD no matter what is raised during the holiday. The base fare for Uber service is $1.50 and $0.30 a minute and/or $1.90 a mile, according to its website.
Uber is a new ridesharing service to Austin that is operating without city approval. Austin City Council approved a pilot program in May to help develop standards for regulating ridesharing companies. Multiple ridesharing drivers have had their cars impounded as a result of Austin Police Department sting operations since Uber launched its service—against the city's wishes—in late May.
