Lyft partners with MADD for safe New Year's Eve

Ride-sharing service Lyft is joining forces with Mothers Against Drunk Driving to promote a safer New Year's Eve.

For everyone who pledges to not drink and drive on the holiday, Lyft will donate $1 to MADD, the company announced in a blog post Monday. (You can also fine more at the Lyft New Year's Eve pledge page.)

"We are partnering with (MADD), mobilizing our community of drivers to get on the road and provide safe rides and our passengers to pledge to have a designated driver on New Year's," said Lyft co-founder John Zimmer in an interview. "We want to encourage people to get home safe, whether that is walking, calling friends who are going to be a designated driver or taking public transportation. Lyft is one of those options."

Lyft, which is headquartered in San Francisco, currently operates in 64 other cities including New York, Los Angeles and Washington.

MADD CEO Debbie Weir complemented Lyft and said the company is "really very authentic on the issue of wanting to make a difference saving lives. Their priorities and our missions align very well together."

Since those needing a ride can use the smartphone app to summon a driver, "it really means there is no excuse to drink and drive. It's right at your fingertips," Weir said. "What is exciting about Lyft and others is it's really that combination of widespread technology and transportation."

One of Lyft's drivers in Florida, Gayleen Unruh, thinks the service can save lives. Her daughter died several years ago when the car she was riding in — on the way home from a party — was hit by a train. Everyone in the vehicle was killed. The driver of the car was later declared legally drunk.

"I feel that Lyft gives people a safe and convenient option to get home – when I found out about Lyft, I thought to myself that I never want any other families to go have to go through what happened to me, I want to be that driver and safety net for somebody else's child," Unruh said in an e-mail exchange.

Zimmer, too, gets personally involved in the event and for the second consecutive New Year's Eve will be driving and transporting Lyft customers himself. His mother will be on board, too, and all ride proceeds will be donated to MADD.

"We really want people to take safe rides," he said. "We know a lot of drivers are sacrificing time with their families to help give others safe rides, so I feel like it is important for us to do that as well."

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