Drunk driving continues to be a major issue across the globe. This is especially true at night, when alcohol-related accidents increase by 350%. But what if we could find a simple way to stop drunk driving by providing a safe and convenient alternative?

Uber provides a safe, reliable option to get home after a night of drinking. We wanted to illustrate this directly to patrons leaving bars and nightclubs while under the influence. So we introduced Uber Safe, a breathalyzer kiosk that brings the Uber app into a physical street installation, with a twist on the app's typical delivery.

We set out to introduce people to Uber in a non-traditional way and to also create awareness for a non-traditional way home after a night of drinking.

We designed and custom-built wireless kiosks embedded with a MQ3 alcohol sensor and an Android tablet connected to Uber's API. When a drinker grabs a disposable straw and blows into the kiosk, it calculates their blood alcohol content. If you're over the legal driving limit, it auto hails a driver to that location within minutes, ensuring you receive a free and safe ride home. First we rolled out the Breathalyzers on the most dangerous night of the year – St. Patty's Day – a hazy holiday where drunk driving nearly triples. Then we installed them in parking lots across from bars across the country for drunk people to stumble upon.

The Uber Safe initiative thus far has generated over 55 million earned impressions online. The idea created a plethora of positive sentiment, through popular news outlets across the world, for a brand that doesn't always receive the most positive attention. We set out to introduce people to Uber as a safe alternative way home after a night of drinking and we succeeded by getting people watching, talking and sharing that message while keeping the roads safer and potentially saving lives along the way.

Uber Safe was so successful, it is currently being rolled out around the world including Canada, the U.S., Brazil, Hong Kong and Vietnam with more to come in 2016.