The effectiveness of alternative transportation programs in reducing impaired driving: A literature review and synthesis.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
Narrative literature review synthesizing academic articles and grey literature without systematic review methodology or meta-analysis.
PubMed 33334469 · doi:10.1016/j.jsr.2020.09.001
What was done
The authors conducted a literature review and synthesis to evaluate the effectiveness of alternative transportation (AT) programs—such as safe-ride shuttles, subsidized taxi/ridesharing services, designated driver programs, and public transit—in reducing alcohol-impaired driving and to assess unintended consequences (such as increased drinking). Searches were conducted via Google Scholar, Google Search, the University of Chicago library, and peer recommendations. From an initial pool of 168 sources, 125 relevant documents (including 57 academic articles alongside background reports and government documents) were synthesized.
What was found
The abstract reports mixed outcomes across studies without specific quantitative pooled effect sizes. Some AT programs demonstrated reductions in impaired driving, impaired driving crashes, DUI arrests, and general traffic crashes, whereas others showed no effectiveness. A few programs were linked to increased self-reported alcohol consumption, but studies found no significant rise in secondary alcohol-related harms (e.g., assaults, public intoxication, or other alcohol-related crimes). Most existing cost-benefit analyses showed net benefits, though the authors noted these evaluations lacked sufficient variables to qualify as rigorous economic analyses.
Why it matters
Drinkers frequently drive to licensed venues, making alternative transportation a primary target for drunk driving prevention. This synthesis highlights that while AT programs can be beneficial, their success is inconsistent and depends on operational factors such as social acceptance, affordability, year-round availability, and user convenience.
Limits
The review relies on narrative synthesis rather than a systematic review protocol or quantitative meta-analysis. Included source designs were highly heterogeneous and frequently lacked rigorous experimental or quasi-experimental controls. The abstract does not provide numerical effect estimates or confidence intervals, and the search was restricted to English-language materials.
Cited by
- context Ridesharing services such as Uber have led to a significant reduction in drunk driving deaths.