Ride-sharing service Uber, in partnership with safe drinking campaign DrinkWise, is offering $1 million in ride discounts this festive season in a bid to reduce road deaths and injuries.
More people die in car crashes in summer than in any other season, according to the Australian Road Deaths database. About one in five fatal crashes involve drink-driving.
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Uber debuts self-driving cars
Uber users in Pittsburgh now have the opportunity to ride in an autonomous vehicle. It's the first time self-driving cars have been made so freely available to the U.S. public and Uber is confident it won't be the last.
Uber will be handing out $20 off discount codes to  new and existing users in 200 licensed venues in NSW and Victoria throughout December and January.
This means that if your trip is less than $20, it will be free.
"We will be distributing free ride promo codes on Friday and Saturday nights to help ensure revellers get home safely, without being tempted to get behind the wheel," said Mike Abbott, of Uber Australia.
While some may dismiss the move as a marketing ploy - with discount codes freely available to new users and those who refer a friend - DrinkWise believes it will help make a difference.
Uber and the alcohol industry-funded DrinkWise campaign first joined forces in June, saying they wanted to raise awareness of responsible drinking and the importance of increasing access to reliable and affordable transport late at night.
John Scott, chief executive of DrinkWise, said its responsible drinking messages will be printed on the Uber discount vouchers, reminding people to drink wisely.
"The collaboration also allows us to use the app, so when people order an Uber, there's an opportunity to provide messaging, like how to drink properly," he said.
"That allows consumers to visit our website, which is an education-based website with information on the harms that can accrue when you're drinking too much."
He says an earlier success was at the Melbourne Cup Carnival a month ago where they created "UberZones" so people could quickly exit the racecourse.
"When people have been drinking, that's often a time where people need to find transport options quickly and efficiently, and we were able to collaborate," he says.
An Uber-commissioned survey of more than 2500 Uber users and non-users between the ages of 18 and 44 found 42 per cent of Uber users believed the service has helped them avoid drinking and driving.
The survey also found 77 per cent of non-users agreed or strongly agreed they would be less likely to drink-drive if they had access to affordable transport and if they knew they could get a ride at any time.
The $1 million free Uber rides initiative - one part of the safe drinking effort - will involve "brand ambassadors" decked out in Uber/DrinkWise t-shirts handing out wallet-sized promo code cards.
In the ACT, Uber has partnered with Transport Canberra. On Friday and Saturday nights between 11pm and 2am during December, locals who take the NightRider bus to a designated drop-off zone will be able to get a $10 discount to complete their journey.
In NSW, Uber will become one of Transport for NSW's "Plan B" drink-driving campaign partners, meaning it will provide rides home after major sporting events as well as working in major regional centres to educate  residents sharing a ride to get home safely after a night out.
The service will also deploy "responsible drinking experts" to venues across the country and remind its users to make Uber their "designated driver" by scheduling a ride in advance.
In August, DrinkWise was criticised by researchers at Edith Cowan University in Western Australia who questioned the non-profit's true objectives. They examined 54 consecutive media releases.
"We found that DrinkWise messages tended to blame parents, and culture in general, for children's drinking habits," Dr Danielle Brady said.
"This ultimately shifts blame away from the industry, ignoring the role of alcohol marketing in causing alcohol-related harms."
In response, Mr Scott called the critique extremely disappointing, saying the organisation had invested more than $30 million since 2005 into safe drinking campaigns.
with AAP