One year after a drunk driving program providing free rides home for inebriated revelers was introduced, police in Evesham Township have credited the scheme with a 15% decrease in DUI arrests.
The Evesham Saving Lives program originally ran as a pilot, but its success has already led officials to renew the scheme twice. A partnership with Uber means that anyone opening the app in one of the many bars or restaurants participating in the scheme will be offered the option of a free ride. Over 2,000 rides have been provided over the past year, with funding coming from the state Department of Transportation and donations to the Evesham Saving Lives Foundation. The scheme was extended to the nearby town of Vorhees shortly after it was first renewed.
The success of the scheme in reducing DUI arrests highlights the importance of taking preventative measures to keep our roads safe. In places where such services do not exist, however, police are often overeager to stop and arrest drivers whom they suspect to be driving under the influence. Inaccurate breath and blood alcohol tests can result in someone who is under the legal limit being wrongly charged with a DUI violation that can remain on their driving record for up to a decade.
If free rides haven’t yet made it to your town or city, planning your transportation carefully when you know you will be drinking alcohol is the best way to avoid a drunk driving charge. For those facing conviction, however, consulting with a knowledgeable, experienced DUI attorney immediately is the best course of action.
