Cabs to help cops check drunk driving

The Mumbai traffic police has started a social initiative wherein it has roped in app-based cab service providers to curb drunk driving in the city by installing breathalysers at bars and pubs that will analyse alcohol content in a person’s blood and ask them to call for a ride home. The initiative will offer new Uber users free rides home if they opt for the service.

According to cab service providers, while it is a business opportunity for them, the free rides are part of the social initiatives that they are committed to offer to the city.

Speaking about the initiative, an official from the traffic police department said that curbing drunk driving in the city was an ongoing effort and the police department was looking to nip the problem in the bud by starting such services. “The department invited service app-based cab service providers and discussed the problem with them. The outcome was installing breathalyser kiosks at the pubs and bars from where individuals can also call for cabs if the alcohol content in their blood is over the permissible limit,” said the official.

The outcome was the installation of the first breath analyser kiosk at Phoenix Marketcity in Kurla recently.

The initiative has been taken up by Uber, the app-based cab service provider. Explaining the working of the breathalyser, Shaliesh Sawlani, general manager, Uber Mumbai, said, “The Uber Breathalyser is a kiosk that analyses alcohol content in a person’s blood and accordingly flashes a red light if it’s over the legal limit, and a green light if it’s safe for the person to drive. If the reading is over the legal limit, a message is displayed on the screen that helps the person request an Uber cab home, instead of driving.”

“Through this campaign, we aim to build awareness against drunk-driving and give people a convenient and reliable ride back home. We are happy to work with the traffic police to install these devices across all bars and pubs in the city,” added Mr Sawlani.

He added that the kiosk and breathalyser could put the pub or bar back by Rs 50,000 but it was a good investment for them, which would be very beneficial for them as well as their patrons. The city can see many more such kiosks coming up in the near future as Uber has said it would “invest heavily” in safety measures for its riders.