Uber Safe

Uber and Mothers Against Drunk Driving want to keep you safe this 4th of July

There are arguably few things more American than cracking open a cold one on the Fourth of July. With that in mind, Uber has partnered with Irving-based Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) for a national campaign to keep intoxicated people in the passenger seat this Independence Day.

For every ride that is booked July 4, Uber will donate $1 to MADD; first-time Uber users will generate a $10 donation. Uber has committed to contributing at least $20,000 to the anti-drunk driving organization.

For every ride that is booked July 4, Uber will donate $1 to MADD; first-time Uber users will generate a $10 donation.

Another reason to solicit Uber this holiday: The Dallas Police Department is conducting a no-refusal DWI initiative from July 3-7, meaning officers will secure a search warrant for a blood sample from those who refuse to voluntarily submit to a breathalyzer test.

"The Fourth of July has one of the highest incidences of [DWIs], but with Uber, there's no reason to ever get behind the wheel," reads a statement on Uber's blog.

Uber is no stranger to special holiday promotions. The on-demand car service has been known to deliver Christmas trees, serve up ice cream and send in helicopters on occasion. Those extra-special services have helped Uber win over the Dallas public, but City Hall is still on the fence.

Last August, then-interim city manager A.C. Gonzalez tried to fast-track an ordinance thwarting Uber's business model through Dallas City Council. That hotly contested action spawned an internal investigation and a transportation working group, but no clarification on how Uber fits into the driver-for-hire landscape.

City Council is expected to tackle new transportation-for-hire rules in the fall.

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E-Cigarette News

Dallas City Council places restrictions on vaping in public

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Man vaping

Vaping will now be banned exactly like smoking, thanks to a new ordinance from the Dallas City Council.

At their December 11 meeting, the council passed an ordinance to ban vaping in all the same areas where smoking is not allowed. It'll go into effect on December 11, 2025 — giving everyone a year to get into compliance.

Proposed by City of Dallas Environmental Commission (EVC) and the Office of Environmental Quality and Sustainability (OEQS), the ordinance amends the definition of “smoking” in the Dallas City Code to include the use of vaping devices.

The ordinance does not ban vaping — it only bans where you can vape: no vaping in all indoor and enclosed spaces; within 15 feet of building entrances; and on park property. The ordinance also bans marijuana smoking in those same places.

In addition, the amendment requires restaurants, hotels, fitness centers and other businesses to update their signage to clearly state that both smoking and electronic smoking devices are prohibited.

The ordinance already earned widespread support from health organizations such as the Dallas County Health and Human Services, the American Lung Association, and the American Heart Association. These organizations, along with the World Health Organization, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the U.S. Surgeon General, have all raised concerns about the health risks of direct and second-hand exposure to vaping aerosols, particularly for vulnerable populations such as children and older adults.

Dallas is not the first city to impose such a ban: San Antonio enacted a similar ban in October. Theirs goes into effect on January 1, 2025.

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