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Intoxicating Substance Policy

Effective Date: 10-July-2026

1. Purpose and zero-intoxication rule

Highland Care LLC (“Highland Care” or the “Company”) is committed to passenger, Driver, and public safety. A Driver who is logged in to Highland Care’s digital network is prohibited from operating, attempting to operate, or remaining available to operate a vehicle while under any amount of intoxication. This Policy is intended to satisfy Texas Occupations Code § 2402.106.

The prohibition begins when a Driver logs in to Highland Care’s digital network and continues until the Driver logs out. It applies while the Driver is waiting for a request, traveling to pickup, transporting a passenger, completing a ride, repositioning while logged in, or otherwise using a vehicle in connection with the digital network.

2. Prohibited conduct

  • Operate or attempt to operate a motor vehicle while intoxicated.
  • Consume alcoholic beverages while logged in to the digital network.
  • Use, possess, ingest, inhale, inject, smoke, vape, or otherwise consume an illegal drug or controlled substance without a lawful prescription while logged in.
  • Misuse a prescription drug, over-the-counter medication, cannabis product, hemp-derived intoxicating product, or any other substance in a manner that impairs or may impair safe driving.
  • Be impaired by alcohol, drugs, medication, or another substance, regardless of whether the substance was lawfully obtained.
  • Have an alcohol concentration or other substance level that renders the Driver intoxicated under applicable law.
  • Permit another person to operate the vehicle for a Highland Care ride using the Driver’s account or while the Driver is logged in.
  • Carry, store, or transport an open alcoholic beverage container in violation of applicable law.
  • Engage in any conduct creating a reasonable safety concern related to alcohol, drugs, medication, or another intoxicating substance.

A Driver who has consumed alcohol, used an impairing substance, is experiencing impairment, or reasonably believes the Driver may be impaired must immediately log out and must not accept, begin, continue, or complete a Highland Care ride.

3. Meaning of intoxication

For this Policy, “intoxication” includes any degree of impairment or loss of normal use of mental or physical faculties resulting from alcohol, a controlled substance, a drug, a dangerous drug, a prescription medication, an over-the-counter medication, cannabis, a hemp-derived intoxicating product, an inhalant, or another substance. This Policy is stricter than any legal blood-alcohol threshold. A Driver may violate this Policy even if the Driver is not arrested, cited, charged, convicted, or determined to have exceeded a statutory alcohol-concentration limit.

4. Passenger notice and complaint process

Highland Care will publish notice of this Policy and a method for passengers to report a suspected violation on Highland Care’s Internet website and, where reasonably practicable, through the digital-network application or passenger-support interface. Reports may be made through:

  • In-app or digital-network safety reporting: ________________________________
  • Emergency safety line: ________________________________
  • Customer support telephone: ________________________________
  • Email: ________________________________
  • Online complaint form: ________________________________

If there is an immediate safety emergency, the reporting person should call 911 or the appropriate emergency-service provider before or in addition to contacting Highland Care. Reports should include available information concerning the date, time, approximate location, Driver and vehicle identity, trip identifier, observed behavior, witnesses, and supporting materials.

5. Immediate suspension upon passenger complaint

Upon receiving a passenger complaint alleging a violation of this Policy, Highland Care will immediately suspend the Driver’s access to the digital network for the duration of the investigation and will conduct an investigation into the reported incident. The interim suspension does not depend on proof, a police report, an arrest, a test result, or the Driver’s admission, and does not itself constitute a final finding of a violation.

6. Investigation procedure

Highland Care will investigate promptly, objectively, and in good faith. An investigation may include contacting the reporting person, passenger, Driver, and witnesses; reviewing ride records, GPS and route data, account history, in-app communications, prior complaints, and evidence lawfully available; requesting a written Driver statement; reviewing law-enforcement or emergency records if available; and requesting a drug or alcohol test when permitted by law, the Driver agreement, and the circumstances.

Highland Care may report conduct to law enforcement or other authorities when legally required or reasonably appropriate for public safety.

7. Outcome and corrective action

If Highland Care determines that a Driver violated this Policy, it may take action up to and including permanent deactivation from the digital network. Given the safety-sensitive nature of passenger transportation, a substantiated intoxication violation will ordinarily result in permanent deactivation. Highland Care may also impose corrective action where evidence establishes a material safety risk even if there is no criminal charge, administrative action, or conviction.

8. Driver cooperation

A Driver must cooperate fully and promptly with an investigation under this Policy. Failure to cooperate—including failure to respond, refusal to provide reasonably requested information, falsification, deletion of relevant records, or interference with witnesses—may result in suspension or deactivation. Drivers must promptly notify Highland Care of any arrest, citation, administrative suspension, criminal charge, collision, or other event reasonably related to a possible violation or the Driver’s ability to provide safe transportation services.

9. Records and retention

Highland Care will retain records relevant to each complaint under this Policy for at least two years after the date Highland Care receives the complaint, as required by Texas Occupations Code § 2402.106. Relevant records may include the complaint, evidence, ride information, communications, suspension notice, investigation materials, findings, and corrective action. Records will be retained longer when required by law, insurance requirements, a governmental investigation, a claim, a litigation hold, or a reasonably anticipated dispute.

10. No retaliation and confidentiality

Highland Care prohibits retaliation against any person who makes a good-faith report, provides information, participates in an investigation, or seeks emergency assistance under this Policy. Highland Care will limit disclosure of complaint and investigation information to persons with a legitimate business, safety, legal, insurance, or regulatory need to know, subject to applicable law. Highland Care cannot promise absolute confidentiality where disclosure is required for safety, law-enforcement, insurance, litigation, regulatory, or legal-compliance purposes.

11. Administration

Highland Care may revise this Policy to comply with applicable law, TDLR guidance, operational needs, or safety requirements. Questions about this Policy should be directed to info@highland-care.com.