DETROIT (WXYZ) — New Year's Eve is one of the deadliest nights of the year on Michigan's roadways. As metro Detroiters prepare to ring in another year, this is another reminder to do so responsibly.
It’s also one of the most lucrative nights of the year for rideshare drivers who work for companies like Uber and Lyft. 7 Action News spoke with many who say they will be out driving. Others say they won't.
Nolan Nagy said, “It makes me feel better that I got somebody home safely. That way they didn’t get behind the wheel and drive home.”
He said he's proud to provide a safe, responsible alternative to driving drunk, and he imagines he'll be working non-stop on Saturday from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.
“It’s not a guarantee you’re gonna get a ride, but it’s the closest thing since the taxi service has gone under," Nagy said.
He said 'not a guarantee', for one, because of high demand for rideshare services.
“I’ve picked up a lot of people that were stranded. They didn’t have a ride, and I come through and they pop in my request and they’re very thankful," Nagy explained.
A surge in price may also deter some customers.
Also, some rideshare drivers like Bernard Muhammad, who’s driven on previous New Year's Eves, said the pay simply isn’t worth multiple risks. So, he’s staying home.
“Very busy. It’s a very busy time. You could make a lot of money, but it’s a little unsafe. People tend to want to shoot. You got a lot of drivers out there that’s intoxicated, and I just didn’t feel safe," Muhammad explained.
He doesn't want to become a tragic statistic.
Doug Scoles, regional director of Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), told 7 Action News fatal accidents stemming from New Year's celebrations spiked 116 percent above the baseline average for the year. That's according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
It's a tragic, unacceptable, but preventable outcome.
“The fact of the matter is, if you can’t get a rideshare, try to get another plan even if you have to stay the night," Scoles said.
He explained, "And it’s not out of the question to stay the night somewhere. Have somebody who hasn’t been drinking (drive you). It’s not, ‘I’ve only had a few drinks, and I’m ok to drive.’ That’s a mistake, and I’ve seen that happen time and time again where it results in tragedy."
So, if you plan to consume alcohol, Scoles said plan to get a designated driver, or utilize a rideshare service like Uber or Lyft, catch a cab, stay the night somewhere, or simply celebrate at home.
Lastly, as the slogan goes, "Friends don't let friends drive drunk."
