More and more of us rely on rideshare services, such as Uber or Lyft, to get us home safely at the end of the night. Generally, rideshare services are an easy and convenient way to circumvent the dangers of driving under the influence, and avoid the stress of traffic congestion or costly parking fees. We encourage everyone who has consumed alcohol during an evening out to find an alternative way home, be it from the designated driver in your group, a sober friend or relative you can call, or hailing a rideshare. Continue reading for our tips on how to stay safe during your ride.
Are Rideshares Safe?
Grim statistics and scary headlines have led some people to question the safety of rideshare services. In addition to the possibility of car accidents inherent in any driving situation, both riders and drivers have cause to be concerned about the other potential dangers of getting into a car with strangers. Some commonly reported incidents include:
- Verbal abuse
- Sexual harassment
- Physical assault
- Sexual assault
- Kidnapping
- Robbery
- Motor vehicle accidents
Despite the attention-grabbing news stories, assaults and other incidents are relatively rare. Both Uber and Lyft report that more than 99.9% of trips end without any safety reports at all and both companies continue to implement new safety features to keep riders and drivers safe.
Drivers must undergo a background check to review their driving record and criminal history before they can drive for either company. Massachusetts has put additional safeguards in place to reduce the potential for violence and protect passengers: Not only do drivers need to pass the national background checks required by the companies, they also have to pass the state-level CORI check. Importantly, this state check looks back across an individual’s entire adult history, not just the previous 7-years reviewed by the companies. In 2019, 200,000 people applied to drive for rideshare platforms in Massachusetts and of those 30,000 were rejected by the state due to violent crime history or being on the sexual assault registry.
Ridesharing is here to stay: the industry is projected to rise from around $45 billion in 2022 to over $54 billion in 2027. Safety features and protocols should follow suit and will hopefully continue to evolve and improve.
What Are Rideshare Apps Doing to Keep You Safe?
Both Uber and Lyft, which are the two largest and most well known platforms licensed to operate in Massachusetts, currently have the following safeguards in place:
- Annual criminal background checks and screenings for impaired driving and violent offenses, and continual monitoring for criminal offenses.
- Periodic requests for a selfie, which is then matched against their on-file identification to help ensure that the right driver is behind the wheel.
- Driver and rider rating systems which let you decide whether you want to drive or ride with that person.
- GPS tracking, which lets you share your location to let others know where you are in a ride.
- Trip confirmation to let others know that you got to your destination safely.
- Detection of unusual activity, such as possible crashes, unusually long stops, unexpected route changes, or if the trip ends unexpectedly before reaching the final destination. The platforms say they will reach out if they notice anything off to see if you need help.
- 911 calling directly from the app. Using the app to make this call automatically shares your location and vehicle information with the dispatcher.
- Partnerships with ADT Security allows you to discreetly access live help by phone or text if you feel uncomfortable during a ride. If the situation escalates, ADT can call 911 for you and share your location and the license plate of the vehicle you’re in.
- Uber now allows riders and drivers to record audio during rides. Massachusetts requires all-party consent for recording meaning that drivers will also be notified of the possibility of recording when they’re matched with the rider.
This is a good start, but there is still room for improvement to ensure riders’ safety. Some advocates are calling for fingerprinting of all drivers and others recommend in-vehicle cameras to record the ride, however, neither of these measures is currently in place. In the meantime, we urge all riders to use safe rideshare practices and be vigilant.
What You Can Do To Stay Safe in a Rideshare
Most crimes that occur during a rideshare are opportunistic rather than planned, and are often perpetrated by predatory drivers taking advantage of vulnerable riders. While there is no fool-proof way to prevent a determined criminal from causing harm, we offer the following safety tips to keep you safe during your trip:
- Know how to quickly access all the safety features in the app:
- Sharing your ride
- Trip confirmation
- 911 access
- Contact ADT
- Order your ride inside and wait there until the app shows that your driver has arrived.
- Look at the driver’s rating and make sure there are no red flags.
- Ride with a buddy whenever possible and try to avoid being intoxicated during your ride.
- Look for the app sign on the car, which must be displayed on the vehicle in Boston, Massachusetts while the vehicle is online. The decal is to be displayed on the front passenger windshield and rear passenger windshield.
- Always match the car and driver with what’s displayed in your app:
- Match the license plate number.
- Match the car make, model and color.
- Check that the driver’s photo matches the person in the car.
- Ask the driver to confirm your name before you get in the car (as opposed to asking if the car is for you.)
- Sit in the back seat, especially if you’re riding alone.
- Share your trip status with friends and family.
- Schedule a check-in to confirm you got to your destination safely.
- Consider calling and talking to a friend or family member – or pretend to – for the duration of the ride.
- Do not share any personal information with the driver, including whether your destination is your home.
Above all, trust your instincts and use your best judgment when requesting a rideshare. And remember, if you feel unsafe you can end the ride at any time.
If you or someone you know has been injured or assaulted while using a rideshare service, contact us for help.
