Uber Safe Gives Free Rides To Drunk People

How many times have you wished it were easier to get a quick ride home when you're just a bit too tipsy to drive? If it hasn't happened to you, you've probably read about tragic drunk driving accidents on the news, where people — who often feel they have no other feasible option — take a chance on using a car after having a few and don't live to learn their lesson. Hopefully, we'll be reading about fewer of these accidents soon. As if they hadn't done enough to make getting around more convenient for people who'd rather not use conventional methods of public transportation, Uber is adding a new feature to their efforts to straighten up the streets. In Toronto, the company has partnered with another to set up a sidewalk breathalyzer that offers you an Uber ride home if it detects that you're over the legal intoxication limit.

The partnership between Uber and Breathometer, a company that sells wireless breathalyzers for smartphones, was originally announced in February. But Uber just released a new video advertising their teamwork on Tuesday. In the video, real live drunk Canadians test out the curbside breathalyzer in Toronto. After they breathe into it for six seconds, the machine tells them whether they are over the legal limit to drive drunk — and it summons an Uber car to give them a free ride home.

It's called the Uber Safe Breathalyzer, and it's incredibly easy to use and intuitive. The screen even gives you instructions: Stick a disposable straw into the hole on the machine's face, blow into it for six seconds (it gives you a visual countdown), and wait for your results. The machine, which was imagined by design company Rethink, works quickly to determine your BAC. The people who used the kiosk in the video, which was filmed over a few nights in March, were apparently drunk enough — and they got free rides for it.

The company posted the video on their official blog on Tuesday. Here's what they had to say about it:

Safety has always been our number one priority at Uber, so on one of the busiest nights of the year for alcohol consumption, we teamed up with Rethink to help Canadians get home safe.

So, you're sold on the idea. When is Uber Safe coming to your city? According to Uber, the machine in Toronto is just a prototype, but it's become popular quickly. Susie Heath of Uber Canada told BuzzFeed:

We’ve been thrilled by the interest this has generated and we will continue to find ways to help people remember that ride-sharing is a responsible choice. In terms of where we might take the Uber Safe breathalyzer next… stay tuned!

Images: Uber/YouTube (4)