Alcohol-related road accidents which include approx 10,000 Americans deaths every year spike mostly between Christmas Eve and New Year Day. In the latest study, one percent increment has found in ridership search intensity on Google Trends translates into 2.19 fewer lives lost overall to traffic accidents per metro and 0.3 fewer lives lost specifically to alcohol-related collisions. Given these ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft reach areas that are not served by public transportation systems. It makes sense to consider subsidies that encourage their use.
Many nonprofits, businesses, and cities already subsidize public transfer on holidays to lower drunk living. For example, rides on the SFMTA cable cars, Muni Metro, and buses will be free on New Year ‘s Eve. Seattle united with Uber to offer $10 discount for rides on New Year’s Eve.
In the studies, we relied on Google Trends search terms such as Uber, Lyft, and ridesharing to serve as an approximation of actual usage of Uber and Lyft and actual ridership. We followed a methodology used by researchers from the Toronto University in the latest study on the effects of ride-sharing on public transportation usage.
The issue is not whether Lyft and Uber deserve or need public money. And the public should also appreciate our efforts to keep drunk drivers off the road.