Uber to offer drinkers free rides home in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh
Ride-hailing service Uber says it will give drinkers in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City free rides home as part of its new campaign to help Vietnam improve traffic safety.
Uber Vietnam signed an agreement with the National Traffic Safety Committee on September 9, saying it will launch around 30 breathalyzer kiosks at restaurants and beer shops in the cities next week.
If drinkers are found to be too drunk to drive, they will be offer a safe car ride.
Restaurants and shops will be given free credit totaling VND150 million a month to book Uber cabs.
Dang Viet Dung, director of Uber Vietnam, said the service allows drinkers to avoid risking their lives.
Vietnam is the second country to have Uber free rides for drinkers, after Canada.
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| A photo from Uber shows a woman using its breathalyzer in Toronto, Canada |
A new study by the World Health Organization showed that 36.9% of road crashes in Vietnam involve drunk driving.
Uber came to Vietnam in 2014. The service is still trying to find some legal support in Vietnam, with industry insiders saying local taxi firms are campaigning against it.
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Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung last April approved a transport ministry proposal requiring Uber to sign contracts with licensed transport companies.
It is not allowed to partner with independent drivers.