This Fourth of July, the City of Seattle is encouraging people to plan ahead and get a safe ride home as they travel to and from Independence Day festivities.

Earlier in 2016, the City began a partnership with technology company Uber on a pilot program that aims to prevent impaired driving, by raising awareness of the issue and giving people easy access to a reliable ride home after they've been drinking. The collaboration is part of Seattle’s Vision Zero plan to end traffic deaths and serious injuries on city streets by 2030.

Annually, over 65,000 people gather in and around Gas Works Park on July 4th to watch the fireworks display over Lake Union. The event adds to traffic congestion and parking challenges in the adjacent neighborhoods. To help alleviate congestion in the area, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) and Uber are encouraging people to exit Gas Works Park and walk a short distance to North 40th Street or Stone Way North before dropping their location pin in the Uber app.

In addition, all day on July 4th, new and existing Uber riders can safely and affordably share their ride to and from festivities in the Ballard, Fremont, and Wallingford neighborhoods by entering the promo code POOLHOME in the Uber app. The code offers 2 free uberPOOL rides, each up to $10 in value.

While Seattle’s streets are among the safest in the nation, over 10,000 crashes occur each year, resulting in close to 20 fatalities. On average, 30 percent of these tragic losses are due to impairment. This safety effort involving the City and Uber aims to curb that trend.

“With an event like Seafair Summer Fourth drawing so many spectators, we want to make it as easy as possible for people to get home safely,” said Seattle Department of Transportation Director Scott Kubly. “There’s never an excuse to drive drunk, especially with safe, discounted rides available at the push of a button.”

“We want Seattleites to enjoy their Fourth of July by encouraging people to leave their keys at home and also give them the peace of mind that they’re not putting others at risk,” said Brooke Steger, general manager of Uber Washington.

If you plan to drink alcoholic beverages, please make a plan to request a rideshare or cab, carpool with a sober friend, take public transit, or purchase pre-paid parking and pick up your car the next morning.
Through partnerships like this, and through education, enforcement, and engineering, Seattle is taking big steps toward meeting its goal of ending traffic deaths and serious injuries. The City will continue rolling out similar partnerships with all other interested technology and taxi companies.

Throughout 2016, new Uber users can also take advantage of a discounted ride home, up to $20 in value on any Uber option, by entering the promo code SAFETYFIRST in the Uber app.
To learn more about this partnership with the City of Seattle, visit www.seattle.gov/visionzero. #VisionZeroSEA