MADD Canada calls on London City Council to Support Ridesharing

Marketwired.com
Feb. 10, 2017

Today, MADD Canada is calling on London City Council to ensure the passage of ridesharing regulations that will allow Uber to continue operating in London.

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.

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. But everyone has the power to prevent impaired driving, and having safe, convenient and accessible transportation options is critical.

"Should London City Council fail to support ridesharing on February 14, Londoners will lose access to a responsible choice at the end of a night," said MADD Canada Chief Executive Officer Andrew Murie.

"Requiring personal ridesharing vehicles to have cameras, as London is considering, is not necessary. In fact, no other city in the world has such a requirement," Mr. Murie said. "MADD Canada is asking that London City Council remove the requirement for personal ridesharing vehicles to have cameras, and not risk losing a valuable community safety partner in Uber."

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 concluded 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.

Most impaired driving incidents happen at night and during the weekend. In cities where Uber operates in Canada, rush hour for ridesharing is not first thing in the morning or at the end of the day when people are getting to and from work, but late at night when bars close, and that is especially true in London with its large student population at Western University and Fanshawe College.

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. For more information, visit www.madd.ca.