July 3, 2024 by Natalie Cochran
Rideshare Safety – Safety Tips For Uber and Lyft Passengers and What to do if You Feel Unsafe
Uber and Lyft take your safety very seriously and work in collaboration with law enforcement to make sure every rider feels safe and every driver follows procedure. From the time you are picked up to the time you are dropped off at your destination, your experience should not make you feel uncomfortable in any way.
There are safety tips all passengers should follow to help you stay safe as well as help ensure other passengers in the future feel safe as well.
Rideshare Safety Tips
- Request and wait for your ride inside: Whether you are with a group or alone, it is best to wait inside until the app shows that your driver has arrived.
- Verify your ride: Make sure you are getting into the right car with the right driver by matching the license plate, car make and model, and the driver’s profile photo. Never get into a car where the vehicle or driver’s identity doesn’t match what is on your app.
- Have the driver confirm your name: It is important that your driver asks for your name to confirm they are picking up the right person as well as to confirm that is your driver according to the app.
- Sit in the backseat: Sit in the backseat especially if you are riding alone. This ensures you have a safety exit and allow personal space.
- Wear your seatbelt: Wearing your seatbelt at all times ensures safety and reduces injuries in car accidents.
- Share your ride with others: While en route, share your trip status to share your driver’s information with a friend or family member. They can track your trip and ETA.
- Follow your intuition: Trust your instincts and best judgement in a rideshare. If you ever feel that you are in an emergency, you can call emergency services from the app which provides you with your real-time location and trip details that you can share with the dispatcher.
- Give feedback about your trip: Rating your experience helps keep a rideshare safe and enjoyable for everyone.
If you feel unsafe in a rideshare, you can do the following:
- Report the incident to Uber or Lyft
- Call the emergency line located in the apps
- File a police report
- Document what you can
- Uber and Lyft suggest canceling your ride but we advise against that if you already feel uncomfortable or unsafe. If you are able, the best option would be to use the in-app emergency button to call authorities. The app will display your location and trip details, which you can share with emergency services.
Lone Star Legal Aid (LSLA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit law firm focused on advocacy for low-income and underserved populations by providing free legal education, advice, and representation. LSLA serves millions of people at 125% of federal poverty guidelines, who live in 72 counties in the eastern and Gulf Coast regions of Texas, and 4 counties in Southwest Arkansas. LSLA focuses its resources on maintaining, enhancing, and protecting income and economic stability; preserving housing; improving outcomes for children; establishing and sustaining family safety, stability, health, and wellbeing; and assisting populations with special vulnerabilities, like those with disabilities, the aging, survivors of crime and disasters, the unemployed and underemployed, the unhoused, those with limited English language skills, and the LGBTQIA+ community. To learn more about Lone Star Legal Aid, visit our website at www.LoneStarLegal.org.
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