Lyft and GHSA Partner with States to Deter Impaired Driving During the Holidays

Resource Type
News Releases

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 11, 2019

Contact: Kara Macek, 202-789-0944

California, Illinois, Maine, Oregon and Washington receive funds and rideshare service credits for holiday campaigns

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) and Lyft have awarded State Highway Safety Offices in five states nearly $100,000 in grant funds and Lyft ride credits to support campaigns that deter impaired road use and encourage responsible road use this holiday season. The goal of the program is to encourage road users to use a rideshare service to travel when they are impaired, rather than putting themselves or others at risk.

Every holiday season, hundreds of lives are lost due to impaired drivers on the roads. According to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), during the month of December 2017 nearly one in four weekend drivers tested positive for at least one drug that could impair their driving skills, and 885 people lost their lives in traffic crashes involving a drunk driver.

This year marks the second year of a state grant program funded by Lyft and administered by GHSA in which a combination of cash grants and ride credits can be used toward discounts on Lyft fares.

“Lyft is offering discounted rides this holiday season to encourage people to plan smart alternatives to help them reach their destinations responsibly,” said Ed Hutchison, Road Safety Partnerships Manager at Lyft. “We’re very excited to partner with GHSA and the State Highway Safety Offices to provide everyone on the road with a sober and reliable ride home.”

State grant activities include the following:

  • The California Office of Traffic Safety will implement its annual "DUI Doesn't Just Mean Booze" awareness campaign in tandem with its "Go Safely California" traffic safety effort to raise awareness of the dangers and consequences of driving under the influence of alcohol, drugs or medications. A digital promotion in Sacramento, San Francisco, Los Angeles and San Diego will encourage individuals to plan a sober ride home by using the Lyft app and a special code for a discounted ride to get them home safely.
     
  • The Illinois Department of Transportation will work with law enforcement to provide Lyft discount codes for free round-trip nighttime rides within the capital city of Springfield and surrounding communities from Thanksgiving through year's end. Codes will be offered to individuals via the social media accounts of participating law enforcement agencies.
     
  • The Maine Bureau of Highway Safety will creat a "Lyft Lounge" in downtown Portland to provide Lyft voucher cards with codes for discounted Lyft rides beginning on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving and running through New Year's Day.
     
  • The Oregon Department of Transportation will offer Lyft credits for Friday and Saturday night rides this holiday season to people who engage with the social media posts of selected partner agencies, including the Portland Police Bureau.
     
  • The Washington Traffic Safety Commission will launch a public relations effort during its annual holiday DUI campaign to encourage sober rides in four local areas around Washington: Bellingham, the Tri-Cities (Richland/Kennewick/Pasco), Spokane and Puget Sound (Seattle/Everett/Tacoma). Local task force coordinators will promote discounted Lyft rides through social media, visits to cannabis and alcohol establishments, and partnerships with community activists.

“This holiday season, we encourage anyone who is going to drink or consume cannabis to plan ahead and take advantage of a discounted ride from Lyft to help ensure the safety of all road users,” said GHSA Executive Director Jonathan Adkins. “Rideshare services offer a convenient alternative to driving while impaired, and GHSA is excited to partner with Lyft to offer this gift of a discounted safe ride home during the holidays.”

Updates on state campaign activities funded by these grants will be shared on GHSA’s social media accounts and website in the coming months.

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About GHSA

The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) is a nonprofit association representing the highway safety offices of states, territories, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. GHSA provides leadership and representation for the states and territories to improve traffic safety, influence national policy, enhance program management and promote best practices. Its members are appointed by their Governors to administer federal and state highway safety funds and implement state highway safety plans. Contact GHSA at 202-789-0942 or visit www.ghsa.org. Find us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/GHSAhq or follow us on Twitter @GHSAHQ.

About Lyft

Lyft was founded in 2012 by Logan Green and John Zimmer to improve people’s lives with the world’s best transportation, and is available to 95 percent of the United States population as well as select cities in Canada. Lyft is committed to effecting positive change for our cities and making cities more livable for everyone through initiatives that bridge transportation gaps, and by promoting transportation equity through shared rides, bikeshare systems, electric scooters, and public transit partnerships.

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California
Illinois
Maine
Oregon
Washington