Taking an Uber? 9 Tips to Ride Safely

Ride shares are a great way to avoid drinking and driving, but riding impaired whether you are drunk, high or tired, can make you more vulnerable to assault. You are also more likely to get in the wrong car.

If you are with friends who are slightly intoxicated, help them check the app to make sure they are getting into the right car, Ms. Lockhart said. “Taking our friends’ safety seriously needs to be the norm,” she said, adding that once you put them in a car doesn’t mean they’ll get home safely, however, so stay in touch or find an alternative for them.

Try not to ride alone, and if you are getting off at different stops, clearly communicate aloud that your ride is being tracked. “I stay at a friend’s apartment rather than ride home alone,” Ms. Estrada said.

If something doesn’t feel right, ask to exit at the closest busy location. Passengers can call 911 from the Uber or Lyft apps and receive location information and the car model and license plate to share with an emergency dispatcher. Lyft and Uber are both rolling out a feature that contacts driver and passenger if a ride has stopped short of its destination or stays in one place too long, to see if emergency assistance is needed.

Ms. Lockhart also cautions riders not to accept bottles of water or other drinks from drivers. “Drug-induced sexual assault is a real danger,” she said.

Mr. Greening advises riders to not just buckle up, but to speak up.

“Some people feel hesitant to say anything if the driver is speeding or following other cars too closely,” he said, “but if you don’t feel safe you need to take action.”

if anything on the ride seemed amiss, like lewd comments, requests for personal information or poor driving practices, let the company know, and, if appropriate, the police as well, Ms. Lockhart said. You’ll help future riders avoid similar (or worse) experiences.

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