With New Year’s Eve right around the corner, Aussies are ready to enjoy a night out.

This year, we are teaming up with DrinkWise to remind party-goers that when they’ve had a few drinks they should put down their car keys and pick up the phone.

Uber – which lets people request a ride at any time at the touch of a button – gives more than 3 million Aussies access to safe, reliable transportation when they need it.

And with more people riding with Uber after a night out partying, drunk and impaired  driving is down in cities across the world – a trend we hope to bring to Australian cities too.

“While we’re all for Aussies enjoying a night out, we want everyone to make smart and safe decisions. Drinking and driving is never the right call and now, with options like Uber, you can get a designated driver to pick you up in minutes at the touch of a button. So during the festive season and on New Years please remember it’s easier than ever to make the smart and safe call,” said Simon Strahan, DrinkWise CEO.

This year, Uber is also releasing Ride Smart Tips to help make it easier to use Uber during our busiest times, especially New Year’s Eve.

“This festive season and New Year’s Eve, remember that you can push a button and get a ride within minutes. We hope party goers who have had a few drinks will remember they can always put down their car keys and pick up their phone to get an Uber. And we want to make it even easier for riders to make that choice, even on our busiest nights, by offering Ride Smart Tips for enjoyable evenings out,” said Henry Greenacre, Head of Cities, Uber ANZ.

Ride Smart Tips:

  • Time your ride: During times of high demand, Uber fares fluctuate  (via an algorithm) to help ensure a driver is always nearby, and you can get a ride if you need one. In the past, fares have tended to be the highest on New Year’s between midnight and 3am so you should plan accordingly.
  • Check the cost before you request: Before you request an Uber, you’ll see in the app the estimated cost of the ride.
  • Price too high? Wait a few minutes or find an alternative: When fares are much higher than usual, this will show in the ride menu, and you’ll be asked to confirm you are ok with the higher rate. If it’s out of your price range, you can check back in a few minutes or choose another available transportation option such as buses, trains or taxis.
  • Share your fare: Start the party early and cut the cost by sharing an Uber with your friends. You can split the fare in the app with the friends you ride with. The multiple destinations feature in the app also makes it easier to get dropped off at different locations.
  • Share your trip status: Whether you’re running early, late, or right on time, keep your family and friends posted by sharing your trip details with them straight from the app.
  • Contact support: If you lose an item, remember you can contact your driver directly in the app to track down your lost items or request help/report an issue on an Uber trip.
  • Respectful rides: Be kind to your driver: driving party people can be stressful don’t forget to leave a compliment. To help make Uber better for everyone, make sure to follow our updated Community Guidelines to ensure that both riders and drivers treat each other with respect. Also remember these 5 star rider guiding principles:
    • Pin it to win it. Taking a few seconds to make sure your pin is dropped in the right place — or better yet, entering your pickup address — can save time and headaches. Consider busy streets, illegal parking and other places that may make pickups challenging for your driver. And, in case you were wondering: drivers can’t see your destination before accepting a request.
    • Please don’t pile in. Most cars with Uber can only fit 4 riders. If you’re in doubt about how many people your ride can fit, use this formula: number of seatbelts = number of riders. Have too many people? Request another car so everyone can ride safely.
    • Time is money. Driver-partners do everything they can to pick you up in as little time as possible. Please try to return the favour by being ready to hop into your Uber when it arrives. You can let your driver know you’ll be a few minutes late by using Uber’s in-app feature.
    • Confirm your ride. Want to make sure you’re in the right car? Just confirm your first name with your driver and ask them to do the same before you get in the car. You can also check the make, model and license plate of your ride in the Uber app.
    • Be courteous. Please treat your driver as you would like to be treated and be sure to approach your driver’s car with care. Please don’t smoke, drink or eat on the trip. This not only makes the trip unpleasant for your driver, but for everyone after you as well. If you’re running late, please don’t encourage your driver to break traffic laws like illegal u-turns. The rules are there for everyone’s safety.