Free uber vouchers might keep drunk drivers off the road
NCT ID NCT04949711
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tested whether giving people subsidized rideshare vouchers (like Uber credits) could reduce drunk driving and alcohol consumption. Over 7,000 adults who drink at bars and own a car participated. Researchers compared those who received rideshare vouchers to those who received online shopping vouchers, tracking self-reported impaired driving and drinking habits over one week.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- ridesharing voucher
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a simple, scalable way to reduce drunk driving by making safe rides home more affordable.
- What could go wrong
- This is a completed behavioral study, not a treatment trial. The results rely on self-reported data, which may not be fully accurate, and the effect may vary by city or population.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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7,034 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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May 2022
- Finished
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Apr 2025
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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21 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * ≥ 21 years old * Reside in a study city * Have a driver's license * Have access to a motor vehicle * Have consumed alcohol in a bar in the last 30 days * Own a smartphone * Read English Exclusion Criteria: * Non-English speaking participants
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Columbia University Irving Medical Center
New York, New York, 10032, United States
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