New Year’s Eve is one of the biggest party nights of the year, which also makes it one of the most dangerous for driving.
A report by WalletHub says that the average Blood-Alcohol Content of revellers on New Year’s Eve is 0.094 — making it literally the drunkest night of the year too. That’s well above the legal limit for driving, which means that accidents are unfortunately likely, and rideshare services like Uber and Lyft will be crowded.
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The report also states an average of 42,000 people are hurt in traffic accidents every New Year’s Eve, and about 364 die due to car crashes. If that’s not scary enough for you, their calculations show that the average cost of a DUI arrest is $10,000.
Uber, Lyft, and other taxi services and carpool apps have already warned customers that the holiday will cause a surge in pricing. It’s built into their platform. Experts expect prices to reach their highest between midnight and 3 a.m.
To plan for the prices, Uber suggests sharing a car with friends. They’re pointing out features available to program multiple destinations and split the fair amongst a group. If that’s not logistically efficient for you, the service also has a carpool option that will set you up with strangers headed in the same direction as you.
Uber and Lyft also have several promotions available throughout the weekend depending on what city you’re celebrating in and when you need to travel. Promo codes are available in collaboration with many local police departments. One law firm in Chicago is even promising to reimburse anyone for their Uber ride as a promotional stunt to prevent drunk driving.
The smartphone taxi services aren’t the only ways to get home this year. In many cities, including Portland and Chicago, public transit will be free for several hours overnight to allow everyone to get where they’re going in one piece.
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NEW YORK CITY – DECEMBER 19: "Toil and Trouble" – Elsbeth is thrown into the world of television after the showrunner of a long-running police procedural is brutally murdered in his office, and although it appears to be the act of a disgruntled fan, she begins to suspect the show's longtime star Regina Coburn (Laurie Metcalf) who yearns for artistic fulfillment. Meanwhile, Judge Crawford (Michael Emerson) continues to be a thorn in Elsbeth's side, on the CBS original series ELSBETH, Thursday, Dec. 19 (10:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network, and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on demand for Paramount+ with SHOWTIME subscribers, or on demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the episode airs). Pictured (L-R): Carrie Preston as Elsbeth Tascioni and Carra Patterson as Kaya Blanke. (Photo by Michael Parmelee/CBS via Getty Images)







