During the 2024 holiday season, the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration utilized grant funding to promote safe alternatives to driving impaired.
The highway safety campaign "Be the Driver" by the Maryland Department of Transportation Motor Vehicle Administration (MDOT MVA) emphasizes safe driving behaviors. It also includes the sub-theme "Be the Make a Plan Driver," urging Marylanders to plan for a sober ride home, such as by calling or scheduling a ride-hailing vehicle.
Building on the success of their previous holiday ride-share programs, MDOT MVA was one of two State Highway Safety Offices to receive a grant from GHSA, ride-hailing company Lyft, and Responsibility.org to prevent impaired driving in 2024. The "Be the Make a Plan Driver" campaign was further amplified on social media and online, promoting discounted rides, focusing on Prine George’s County and Bowie State University.
MDOT MVA launched its program on November 20, 2023, offering $20 credits while supplies last. The 'Be the Make A Plan Driver' campaign was a resounding success, urging Marylanders to make an alternate plan to driving impaired from alcohol or drugs through discounted ride-hailing codes from Lyft. The strategy of limiting codes to a 24-hour period proved effective, with the code expiring if not utilized, thereby encouraging immediate action.
This grant provided 1,013 rides, each of which took a potential impaired driver off the road. MDOT MVA used social media and its website to promote Lyft ride credits 15 times. Those posts generated 6,485 impressions and 163 engagements.
