Today Uber announced a new safety feature on their app that asks a rider “Do you need help?” if their system detects a possible crash or an unusual stop.
The answers an Uber rider can select from include “I’m fine, I stopped on purpose”, “911 Assistance”, “Call Uber Safety Line”, “Report a crash”, “Add or change destination”, and “Share my trip”.
If something does go wrong, should a rider select 911, or Uber’s Safety Line?
“We recommend that people call 911 in an emergency,” Uber Public Affairs Manager Javi Correoso told Consumer Press.
“The critical safety line is for things like a fender bender.”
Correoso confirmed that if a rider requests 911 assistance, the call will go straight through to 911.
“But the information (location, driver info) is only automatically transmitted if there is 911 integration,” said Correoso.
The 911 integration feature is still in a pilot phase. Uber’s announcement said that it’s currently being expanded into several new cities, including Washington DC, San Diego, and Boston. International expansion is starting in Mexico.
The Share my Trip option ties into the phone’s contact list or Facebook contacts, according to Correoso. It can be used to share your trip and destination with friends and family members in real time.
Uber’s new safety feature will be rolling out over the next few months, noted the company’s blog post.
Will the new safety feature make you feel safer about taking an Uber?
Let us know in the comments below, and be sure to share this post with your friends and family. They’ll appreciate the heads up!
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