Uber offers Houston residents $20 in free ride credit to deter 'impaired driving'

Rideshare giant Uber is now offering Houston residents a free $20 ride credit in an effort to curb impaired driving in the city, which has become a problem in recent years.  

According to the Houston Chronicle, "Local riders anywhere in the Houston area, including Harris County, Montgomery County, Galveston County, Fort Bend County, Brazoria County and Waller County, can enter the code 'TXDOT20' in the Uber app to use this offer through Jan. 14, 2022 between 5 p.m. and 5 a.m., according to a release. The code is valid while supplies last."

Uber hopes that the free credit is a win-win situation for the rideshare company as well as the city and its residents. By providing the free credit, Uber is counting on the fact that some residents will begin to see the benefits of their services and use the service regularly going forward. For the city, the motive is clear: Bring down impaired driving deaths. 

GHSA Executive Director Jonathan Adkins said in a statement, "There are already too many families that will have empty chairs at their holiday dinner tables this year because of the pandemic. It’s tragic and frustrating to see even more lives lost on our roads from completely preventable drunk and drug-impaired driving crashes. GHSA is proud to partner with Uber to help states provide people a safe and convenient alternative to driving impaired."

Uber has already had a large impact on the number of impaired driving cases in the city. When Uber entered the Houston market back in 2014, weekend motor vehicle crash traumas almost instantly decreased by 38.9% for residents under 30. DUI arrests also saw a large reduction. 

Kristin Smith, the head of road safety policy at Uber, said, "We hope to give people greater access to transportation so that there is no excuse to get behind the wheel while impaired. As recent studies have shown, Uber can help reduce alcohol-impaired traffic fatalities and it is more important than ever to provide people with more options so they can plan ahead, make better choices and avoid drinking and driving."