Using rideshare services like Uber and Lyft can offer a convenient alternative to driving or using public transportation. While most riders never experience issues, there are currently more than 1,600 cases of lawsuits alleging sexual assault against Uber alone. While no one should have to face the possibility of assault in any circumstance, it’s important to take certain safety precautions to protect yourself while using rideshare services. Here, we’ll take a look at seven safety tips you can put to use next time you use a rideshare service.
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1. Keep Your Address Secure
If you live in a safe, well-lit area where you feel comfortable walking a block or two to get a ride, it may make sense for you to share a different pickup or drop-off location from your actual address. This can also work well for when an Uber or Lyft driver is taking you home. Providing a drop-off address a block or two away from your home can get you where you need to go without providing your driver with exact knowledge of your home’s location.
2. Verify Your Ride
Some riders have been assaulted after getting into vehicles in which drivers pretend to be driving for Uber or Lyft. Verifying your ride each time you use a rideshare service can help to ensure that you’re with a driver who has been vetted by their rideshare company.
When your ride arrives, make sure that the driver’s information matches what’s on the app. Check the make and model of the car, as well as the license plate. Ask the driver both their name and the name of the person they’re picking up. If something feels off, trust your gut and cancel the ride.
3. Be Sure Your Phone is Charged
When you’re using a rideshare service, your phone is your lifeline to the world. Be sure that you have a full charge (don’t depend on your Uber or Lyft driver to charge your phone for you). While you’re riding, keep the rideshare app open so that you’re able to access safety features, such as Lyft and Uber’s safety shield buttons. You can use this button to get security help either on the phone or via text, and you can also ask the safety agent on the line to call 911 for you if necessary.
Whenever you’re using a rideshare service, it’s a good idea to share trip details with a trusted friend or family member. Both Uber and Lyft allow you to share this information through their apps. Your friend or family member will be able to utilize real-time tracking to see where you are on your ride. An important note: if your driver cancels your trip at any point—even when you’re already in the car—your tracking information may disappear from the app. To ensure that a friend or family member has your information even if your ride is canceled, it’s a good idea to screenshot the ride info and send it to them along with your tracking link.
You can also send a friend or family member your starting point and destination, your estimated time of arrival, your driver’s name and photo, and the make, model, and license plate number of your driver’s vehicle.
If you feel uncomfortable, it may also be helpful to call (or pretend to call) a friend or family member to keep them in the loop about what’s happening during your ride.
5. Sit in the Back Seat
If possible, sit in the back seat of your Uber or Lyft vehicle to create as much space as possible between yourself and the driver. When entering the back seat of the vehicle, look at the area where the door latches to the car to see if there is a child safety lock feature. If the lever on the child safety lock is pushed up, the feature is off, and you’ll be able to open your door from the inside of the vehicle. If the safety lock is pushed down, it’s been activated, and that means that you will not be able to exit the vehicle unless the door is opened from the outside.
6. Keep Private Information Private
There’s nothing wrong with making small talk with your Uber or Lyft driver, but it’s important to keep private information private. Don’t share your workplace, phone number, or home address with your driver. The app prevents the driver from seeing this information.
7. Use Your Own GPS
If you’re in an unfamiliar area and won’t be able to tell whether your driver is taking the correct route to your destination, it’s smart to track your ride using your own device. If you notice that your driver is taking a different route than expected, ask them where they’re going. While some detours (to avoid construction, for example) may make sense, trust your gut. If you feel that something is off, don’t be afraid to end the ride and request a new driver.
If You’ve Experienced Harassment or Assault While Using Uber or Lyft, You’re Not Alone
If you’ve been the victim of sexual assault while using a rideshare service like Uber or Lyft, our advocacy team is here to help you determine whether you may be entitled to compensation. Many people who have experienced Uber or Lyft assault are filing lawsuits against the rideshare giants. The cases are being consolidated into a multidistrict litigation lawsuit that will be heard by a single San Francisco judge.
We’re here to help you choose your next steps forward if you’ve been assaulted while using a rideshare service. Reach out to us today to be connected with an advocate for a free case evaluation.
