Ridesharing Improves Safety, So Let's Bring It To BC

VANCOUVER, BC--(Marketwired - October 23, 2017) - Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD Canada) calls on all British Columbia political parties to keep their commitment and enable ridesharing in 2017. During the recent provincial election, the BC NDP, BC Liberals and BC Green Party all committed to have ridesharing in place by the end of the year, but progress appears to be slowing.

"Not enabling ridesharing this holiday season is a safety issue," said MADD Canada Chief Executive Officer Andrew Murie. "Having safe, convenient and accessible transportation options is critical, and British Columbians clearly do not have enough options. We hope all parties will work together to improve safety and reduce impaired driving by bringing in ridesharing this year."

Data from across Canada highlight the urgent need for government to take action to save lives:

• Crashes involving alcohol and/or drugs are the leading criminal cause of death in Canada.
• Every day, on average, four Canadians are killed in crashes involving alcohol and/or drugs.
• 23% of car crash fatalities in BC are due to impaired driving.

There is a growing body of research on ridesharing's impact on impaired driving. Researchers at Temple University compared rates of alcohol-related crash deaths in cities before and after Uber was available. While there are a number of factors that affect impaired driving trends, findings from this research conclude that the arrival of Uber in a city led to a 3.6%-5.6% decrease in the number of people killed in alcohol-related car crashes.

With the holiday season just around the corner, MADD Canada hopes that British Columbia lawmakers work together to pass smart rules soon.

MADD Canada and Uber Canada are national partners who have joined forces to promote safe and sober driving. For more information on the partnership between MADD Canada and Uber Canada, visit: t.uber.com/maddcanada.

About MADD Canada
MADD Canada (Mothers Against Drunk Driving) is a national, charitable organization that is committed to stopping impaired driving and supporting the victims of this violent crime. With volunteer-driven groups in more than 100 communities across Canada, MADD Canada aims to offer support services to victims, heighten awareness of the dangers of impaired driving and save lives and prevent injuries on our roads. To learn more, visit www.madd.ca.