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Rideshare services are an excellent solution for adults who want to enjoy a night out. However, a smartphone application with the ability to call a ride within minutes isn’t a license to act like a fool in a stranger’s car. So, is being too intoxicated in an Uber or similar rideshare an arrest-worthy crime?

You can get into serious trouble for being too intoxicated in an Uber or Lyft

Around 15 years ago, Uber changed the face of smartphone-connected mobility. Today, hundreds of millions of smartphone users rely on rideshare services to keep appointments, run errands, and yes, get home from the bars. 

However, it’s your responsibility to refrain from getting so drunk that you are a public nuisance. It’s not just in cabs and rideshares, either. According to the Baldini Law Group, your level of drunkenness could land you a public intoxication charge. 

Depending on the state, if your level of inebriation is enough to pose a danger to yourself, others, or property, you might end up in the back of a patrol vehicle before you ever get the chance to summon an Uber ride.

As such, police could arrest you for being too intoxicated after you get into an Uber or Lyft. Your level of drunkenness could be a threat to your safety or the well-being of others. If that’s the case, you could end up in handcuffs. 

Granted, many drivers understand they’re picking you up from a bar district or popular watering hole. In that case, they likely understand you’ve been drinking. Frankly, it’s a good thing that you’re not driving. However, the fact that you’re coherent enough to operate your rideshare app doesn’t mean your drunken state is your driver’s responsibility.

In fact, Uber’s community guidelines allow rideshare drivers to refuse rides to overly inebriated passengers. “If a rider is too drunk or rowdy, you have the right to decline the trip for their own safety.”

Of course, Uber takes an even stronger position on its drivers and alcohol consumption. “If you have reason to believe your driver may be under the influence of drugs or alcohol, ask the driver to end the trip immediately. Then exit the vehicle and call 911.”

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Staff Writer

Erik Sherman

Erik Sherman is a MotorBiscuit Staff Writer, an admitted petrolhead, and an avid motorcyclist. Erik also has extensive experience with military and emergency vehicles, ranging from ambulances and fire engines to MRAPs and Humvees. Erik is an eager car and motorcycle reviewer with expertise covering everything from sports cars and electric motorcycles to pontoon boats and jet skis. Erik holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Texas at Austin. He also studied Chinese, Energy, and European Politics at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. Erik’s background is unorthodox; he is a United States Marine Corps (USMC) combat veteran, water survival practitioner, and a former firefighter/EMT. Additionally, Erik is a regular volunteer and former instructor with the American Red Cross (ARC). When he’s not working, you can find Erik on his motorcycle or out for a spirited drive.