NCT04949711

Impacts of Subsidized Ridesharing on Drunk Driving, Alcohol Consumption, and Mobility

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 7,034 (actual)
• Sponsor: Columbia University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 21 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The purpose of this research study is to understand people's alcohol use in public places and their risks for harm. The overall goal of this study is to test the effects of subsidized ridesharing as an intervention to reduce self-reported alcohol-impaired driving, along with alcohol consumption and changes to mobility.

Detailed description

Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for people aged 13-25 years in the US, and approximately 31% of all fatal crashes involved some alcohol use. Several peer-reviewed studies have found that ridesharing was associated with fewer alcohol-involved crashes and DUI arrests. Theories of behavioral economics provide a clear theoretical mechanism by which ridesharing will reduce alcohol-involved motor vehicle crashes compared to other private transportation. However, while ridesharing may be an effective intervention to reduce alcohol-involved crashes, it may simultaneously increase alcohol consumption. This study will assess the impacts of subsidized ridesharing on impaired driving, alcohol consumption, and mobility. Participants will be randomized to either receive a rideshare voucher or an online shopping voucher, and effects on alcohol impaired driving and alcohol consumption will be measured. A GPS sub-group will use a custom smartphone application for GPS tracking to measure mobility.

Conditions

• Driving Drunk
• Alcohol Drinking

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	ridesharing voucher	Ridesharing vouchers will be given for completing each of the online surveys, for a possible total of $80 if you complete all three surveys. You will be paid with electronic vouchers that will be sent to your cell phone.
BEHAVIORAL	online shopping voucher	Online shopping vouchers will be given for completing each of the online surveys, for a possible total of $80 if you complete all three surveys. You will be paid with electronic vouchers that will be sent to your cell phone.

Timeline

• Start date: 2022-05-01
• Primary completion: 2025-03-14
• Completion: 2025-04-04
• First posted: 2021-07-02
• Last updated: 2026-04-17
• Results posted: 2026-04-17

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States