Boston Police and rideshare companies have advice for how to stay safe when threats may emerge during rideshare trips, urging riders to take any precautions possible.
“Trust your instincts and use your best judgment when requesting a ride with Uber,” Uber states in their Safety Tips guide. “If you ever feel that you’re in an urgent situation, you can call 911 by using the Emergency Button located in your app.
“Anytime you call emergency services from the Uber app, the app provides you with your real-time location and trip details that you can share with the dispatcher,” Uber adds. “And remember, if you feel unsafe you can end the ride at any time.”
Uber and Lyft have advertised more safety features in recent years — including annual driver background checks, allowing riders to share their location in-app, two-way rating systems, real-time monitoring for unusually long stops or route deviations, and more — but still issue recommendations for riders to be as safe as possible.
Through 2021 to 2022, Uber reported about 2,700 sexual assaults in their latest U.S. safety report, a 22% decline from the previous two-year period and 44% decrease from the first safety report in 2017-2018. The company reported 36 fatal physical assaults in 2021-2022, their highest number on record.
Across three rideshare companies, 4,600 sexual assaults were reported related to rides arranged on their apps in just 2019, according to the Government Accountability Office.
Following cases of rideshare-related sexual assaults and other crime in the region, Boston Police has also shared safety recommendations for riders.
“When you book a ride, the app will send a confirmation text to riders with a photo of their driver, the license plate number of their Uber, and a description of the vehicle, so you know who to look for,” BPD states. “When you see the vehicle, check the plate and the car’s make and model. You should also ask your driver their name, to be sure it matches the name you received in your confirmation text.”
Lyft lists a four-point safety check: examining the vehicle make and model, license plate, the driver’s appearance to the picture in your app, and asking your driver who they’re here for.
Police recommend riders share locations with friends, and “never get into an Uber car they didn’t order.”
Uber and Lyft add other safety tips like ordering your ride and waiting inside to minimize time standing outside, asking the driver to confirm your name and riding in the backseat whenever possible.
“If you ever experience a safety issue on a trip, please report it to Uber,” Uber notes. “Our 24/7 response team will follow up. And remember, on every trip you can tap the shield icon in the app to access Uber’s Safety Toolkit and get help whenever you need it.”