Uber may be best known in Miami at the moment for it's epic ongoing fight with county commissioners. But the ride-sharing service is trying to make a dent in another battle today, namely the effort against drunk driving on the Fourth of July.
The controversial company has teamed up with Mothers Against Drunk Driving and promised to donate $1 for every ride today and $10 for every new rider that signs up with the promotional code "UberMADD."
See also: UberX Will Launch in Miami Today, Defying Miami-Dade's Taxi Laws
"Safety is our number one priority -- not just for riders and drivers, but also for the communities we serve," Uber posted on its blog.
The promotion, which runs until 6 a.m. tomorrow, is part of an ongoing national partnership that will include regional educational campaigns throughout the year "to encourage adults to choose a safe way home if they're going to drink."
According to a statement to Riptide Thursday, the partnership is kicking off this weekend since Fourth of July weekend has some of the highest numbers in drunk-driving arrests and car accidents. Uber has also pledged that a minimum of $20,000 will be donated to MADD regardless of the turn out from Fourth of July weekend.
See also: Why Taxi Drivers Don't Want Uber in Miami
The Fourth of July promotion also gets Uber out of the headlines from its months of conflict with Miami-Dade's government.
County officials say say the UberX service, which connects smartphone app users with part-time drivers in the area, breaks Dade's taxi registration laws. UberX drivers have been regularly fined and the County has also begun impounding their cars; a competing service, Lyft, has faced a similar crackdown.
The ride-sharing service, which was founded in 2009, has been implemented in more than 75 cities nationwide and 39 countries, and has regularly rubbed strict taxi laws the wrong way.
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