Do ridesharing apps really mean fewer DUIs?

The average number of DUIs per month has dropped 11 percent in Philadelphia since ridesharing and on-demand car service apps have come to the city, according to an analysis by Pittsburgh-based computer scientist Nate Good.

Those under 30 — the target market for these apps — were “largely responsible” for the overall drop, Good noted, with an 18.5 percent decrease in DUIs for that age range.

Good’s analysis was prompted by the contentious fight over ridesharing apps Uber and Lyft in Pittsburgh, where judges recently ordered the companies to cease operations. The same battle is playing out in Baltimore.

Of course, there are probably other factors at play.

As PlanPhilly asked: “Is there are really a causal story here? Or is this simply a matter of under-30 Philadelphians driving less in general?”

It’s also important to note that ridesharing service UberX only services South Jersey and Sidecar only operated in Philadelphia for about five months.

[h/t PlanPhilly]