Driving DrunkNCT04949711
Impacts of Subsidized Ridesharing on Drunk Driving, Alcohol Consumption, and Mobility
A study testing ridesharing voucher and online shopping voucher in people with Driving Drunk and Alcohol Drinking, run by Columbia University at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The purpose of this research study is to understand people's alcohol use in public places and their risks for harm. The overall goal of this study is to test the effects of subsidized ridesharing as an intervention to reduce self-reported alcohol-impaired driving, along with alcohol consumption and changes to mobility. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 21 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Driving Drunk, Alcohol Drinking
- What is being tested?
- ridesharing voucher and online shopping voucher
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
- How many people
- 7,034 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 1 May 2022to 4 Apr 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 21 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- ≥ 21 years old
- Reside in a study city
- Have a driver's license
- Have access to a motor vehicle
- Have consumed alcohol in a bar in the last 30 days
- Own a smartphone
- Read English
Who cannot join
- Non-English speaking participants
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Columbia University Irving Medical Center
New York, New York, 10032
About this study
The purpose of this research study is to understand people's alcohol use in public places and their risks for harm. The overall goal of this study is to test the effects of subsidized ridesharing as an intervention to reduce self-reported alcohol-impaired driving, along with alcohol consumption and changes to mobility.
Read the detailed description
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for people aged 13-25 years in the US, and approximately 31% of all fatal crashes involved some alcohol use. Several peer-reviewed studies have found that ridesharing was associated with fewer alcohol-involved crashes and DUI arrests. Theories of behavioral economics provide a clear theoretical mechanism by which ridesharing will reduce alcohol-involved motor vehicle crashes compared to other private transportation. However, while ridesharing may be an effective intervention to reduce alcohol-involved crashes, it may simultaneously increase alcohol consumption. This study will assess the impacts of subsidized ridesharing on impaired driving, alcohol consumption, and mobility. Participants will be randomized to either receive a rideshare voucher or an online shopping voucher, and effects on alcohol impaired driving and alcohol consumption will be measured. A GPS sub-group will use a custom smartphone application for GPS tracking to measure mobility.
- Conditions
- Driving Drunk, Alcohol Drinking
- Being tested
- ridesharing voucher, online shopping voucher
- Keywords
- Drunk driving, Ridesharing, Alcohol Drinking, Driving under the influence (DUI)
- Medical subject headings
- Driving Under the Influence, Alcohol Drinking
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
ridesharing voucherBehavioural
Also called Uber voucher
Ridesharing vouchers will be given for completing each of the online surveys, for a possible total of $80 if you complete all three surveys. You will be paid with electronic vouchers that will be sent to your cell phone.
online shopping voucherBehavioural
Also called Amazon voucher
Online shopping vouchers will be given for completing each of the online surveys, for a possible total of $80 if you complete all three surveys. You will be paid with electronic vouchers that will be sent to your cell phone.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention | Experimental | Participants will be asked to complete 3 surveys over 2 weeks to collect in information on their alcohol use and about themselves, and receive ridesharing vouchers. Receives: Behavioral: ridesharing voucher |
| Control | Sham comparator | Participants will be asked to complete 3 surveys over 2 weeks to collect in information on their alcohol use and about themselves, and receive online shopping voucher. Receives: Behavioral: online shopping voucher |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Number of Participants Involved in Alcohol Impaired Driving Incidents
Participants will provide two self-reported measures of impaired driving by indicating whether they "drove after drinking any alcohol" (driving after drinking) and "drove after drinking too much alcohol to drive safely" (driving while intoxicated) for each day during the previous 7 days. Data is recorded at baseline and at 1 week follow-up.
Measured: At 1 week follow-up from baseline
Secondary outcomes (4)
Change in Number of Days in Alcohol Consumption
Participants will be asked to state the number of drinks consumed on each day for the 7 previous days, and their responses will be used to calculate the frequency (defined as the number of drinking days) of drinking.
Measured: Baseline, 1 week follow-up
Average Number of Trips to Alcohol Outlets
Participants enrolled in the GPS sub-sample will be tracked and GPS records will be used to measure exposure to alcohol outlets and mobility.
Measured: Day 3 to Day 17 of study
Average Duration of Trips to Alcohol Outlets
Participants enrolled in the GPS sub-sample will be tracked and GPS records will be used measure exposure to alcohol outlets and mobility.
Measured: Day 3 to Day 17 of study
Change in The Drinker Inventory of Consequences Score
Select questions related to The Drinker Inventory of Consequences (DrInC), a measure of alcohol-related consequences on which higher scores reflect greater alcohol consequences. (Score range: 0-8)
Measured: Baseline, 1 week follow-up
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted2 Jul 2021
- Study start1 May 2022
- Primary completion14 Mar 2025
- Study completion4 Apr 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
- Other trials for Driving DrunkStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Columbia UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Participant
- Enrolment
- 7,034 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Columbia University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Christopher Morrison, Columbia University
- Investigators
- Christopher Morrison, PhD, Principal investigator, Columbia University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04949711
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- AAAT0912
- Other IDs
- 1R01AA029112-01
- Status last verified
- Mar 2026
- First submitted
- 25 Jun 2021
- Last updated
- 17 Apr 2026
- Results posted
- Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: Data from the study will be submitted and shared with NIAAA Data Archive (NIAAADA), a data repository housed within the NIMH Data Archive (NDA).
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 17 Apr 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Impacts of Subsidized Ridesharing on Drunk Driving, Alcohol Consumption, and Mobility
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04949711
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- AAAT0912
- Conditions
- Driving Drunk, Alcohol Drinking
- Keywords
- Drunk driving, Ridesharing, Alcohol Drinking, Driving under the influence (DUI)
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 7,034 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Columbia UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
- Study start
- 1 May 2022 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 14 Mar 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 4 Apr 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 2 Jul 2021 (actual)
- Results
- Posted 17 Apr 2026
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The purpose of this research study is to understand people's alcohol use in public places and their risks for harm. The overall goal of this study is to test the effects of subsidized ridesharing as an intervention to reduce self-reported alcohol-impaired driving, along with alcohol consumption and changes to mobility.
Detailed description
Motor vehicle crashes are the leading cause of death for people aged 13-25 years in the US, and approximately 31% of all fatal crashes involved some alcohol use. Several peer-reviewed studies have found that ridesharing was associated with fewer alcohol-involved crashes and DUI arrests. Theories of behavioral economics provide a clear theoretical mechanism by which ridesharing will reduce alcohol-involved motor vehicle crashes compared to other private transportation. However, while ridesharing may be an effective intervention to reduce alcohol-involved crashes, it may simultaneously increase alcohol consumption. This study will assess the impacts of subsidized ridesharing on impaired driving, alcohol consumption, and mobility. Participants will be randomized to either receive a rideshare voucher or an online shopping voucher, and effects on alcohol impaired driving and alcohol consumption will be measured. A GPS sub-group will use a custom smartphone application for GPS tracking to measure mobility.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (participant)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention | Experimental | Behavioral: ridesharing voucherParticipants will be asked to complete 3 surveys over 2 weeks to collect in information on their alcohol use and about themselves, and receive ridesharing vouchers. |
| Control | Sham comparator | Behavioral: online shopping voucherParticipants will be asked to complete 3 surveys over 2 weeks to collect in information on their alcohol use and about themselves, and receive online shopping voucher. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 21 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (7 listed)
- ≥ 21 years old
- Reside in a study city
- Have a driver's license
- Have access to a motor vehicle
- Have consumed alcohol in a bar in the last 30 days
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Non-English speaking participants
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| ridesharing voucherAlso: Uber voucherRidesharing vouchers will be given for completing each of the online surveys, for a possible total of $80 if you complete all three surveys. You will be paid with electronic vouchers that will be sent to your cell phone. | Behavioural | Intervention |
| online shopping voucherAlso: Amazon voucherOnline shopping vouchers will be given for completing each of the online surveys, for a possible total of $80 if you complete all three surveys. You will be paid with electronic vouchers that will be sent to your cell phone. | Behavioural | Control |
Primary outcome
Number of Participants Involved in Alcohol Impaired Driving Incidents
Time frame: At 1 week follow-up from baseline
Participants will provide two self-reported measures of impaired driving by indicating whether they "drove after drinking any alcohol" (driving after drinking) and "drove after drinking too much alcohol to drive safely" (driving while intoxicated) for each day during the previous 7 days. Data is recorded at baseline and at 1 week follow-up.
4 secondary outcomes
Change in Number of Days in Alcohol Consumption
Time frame: Baseline, 1 week follow-up
Average Number of Trips to Alcohol Outlets
Time frame: Day 3 to Day 17 of study
Average Duration of Trips to Alcohol Outlets
Time frame: Day 3 to Day 17 of study
Change in The Drinker Inventory of Consequences Score
Time frame: Baseline, 1 week follow-up
Results and safety
Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 17 Apr 2026.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. Data from the study will be submitted and shared with NIAAA Data Archive (NIAAADA), a data repository housed within the NIMH Data Archive (NDA).
Related trials for Driving Drunk
Recruiting
Evaluation of Global Smart Drinking Goals Initiative
Binge Drinking, Underage Drinking, Drinking and Driving, Alcohol-Related Harms
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Christopher Morrison, PhD principal investigator
Columbia University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing ridesharing voucher and online shopping voucher in people with Driving Drunk and Alcohol Drinking, run by Columbia University at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 7 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 17 Apr 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 17 Apr 2026). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Number of Participants Involved in Alcohol Impaired Driving Incidents (time frame: At 1 week follow-up from baseline). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 17 Apr 2026.