Georgia Injury Law Blog
Yet another study confirms the significant role that ride sharing apps like Uber can play in helping reduce injuries from drunk driving accidents in areas like the metro Atlanta region. The study finds that these apps help lower injury risks, and that the drop is even more significant in the case of younger drivers.
The results of the study were published recently in the JAMA Surgery journal, and explored the role of rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft in reducing injuries caused by accidents, specifically accidents involving impaired drivers. The advent of services like Uber has been a boon for intoxicated persons looking for a ride home that is safe, responsible cheap and convenient. Before Uber, drivers would actually have to designate sober motorists to take them home, or even worse drive themselves in an intoxicated condition. However, these apps make it easier for intoxicated motorists or their friends to ride home safely. The hope is that more people will use ride sharing apps during the upcoming Fourth of July weekend to prevent a spike in drunk driving related accidents.
The study focused on drunk driving accident rates after 2014 when Uber was introduced in the country, and compared those with accident-related injuries from before that time. They found that after ride sharing apps like Uber became available, accident injuries over the weekends in the area studied dropped by as much as 24%. The drop was the steepest – as much as 40% – in the under-thirty category. This is the group that is most likely to use ride sharing apps.
There is a significant correlation between the use of such ridesharing apps and a reduction in accident-related injuries. The doctors, who were part of the research, began seriously considering the idea of studying the issue further when they noticed a drop in accident-related injuries in their hospital over the weekend. They found that the use of ride-sharing apps played a significant role in this drop.
The researchers also found a drop in convictions for drunk driving over weekends after these apps were introduced. They believe that cities that are hesitant about allowing ridesharing apps like Uber into their cities need to consider the benefits, specifically those related to the prevention of drunk driving accidents when making their decisions. Giving persons who may be too buzzed or drunk to drive a safe and responsible way of getting home is key to reducing the numbers of drunk driving accidents in the metro Atlanta region. Many serious and fatal injuries are caused in the metro Atlanta region every year as a result of intoxicated motorists driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
The Atlanta car accident lawyers at the Katz Personal Injury Lawyers represent persons who have suffered injuries as a result of car accidents in the metro Atlanta region and across Georgia. If you or a loved one have suffered injuries in an accident, talk to an attorney at our firm, and determine your legal options for a claim for damages. You might qualify for compensation that includes medical expenses, lost income and other damages. Talk to a lawyer at our firm and discuss your rights. Initial consultations are free.