Recently in the news, a story came to light regarding a woman who was killed after she got into a car that she mistakenly thought was her Uber.

Since this incident the concern regarding rideshare imposters has increased, and for good reason. As more and more people use rideshare services there are more chances for trouble to happen.

To avoid any issues with your rideshare experience we recommend the following:

• Request your ride from inside and wait inside until the driver arrives.
• Before you get in the car, check the license plate! Rideshare apps not only tell you what kind of car to expect, they also tell you the plate number. Make sure they match before getting into the vehicle. Also make sure the driver’s photo and name match.
• Confirm the name of the driver and ask who they’re picking up. If they don’t know your name don’t get in the car!
• Check the driver’s rating, you can always cancel the ride and call another.
• Always ride in the back seat so you have a better exit route in an emergency.
• Let friends or family know where you are. Uber lets you share trip details with your friends by clicking on the Share Status option on the home screen. If you show up late your friends will know it.
• Open up the app and follow along, look out for any unusual route change.
• Travel with others whenever possible or use the carpool option.
• Do a ‘gut check’, if something looks or feels ‘off’ don’t get in the car.
• Don’t reveal personal information to the driver.

These common sense tips will help you to arrive safely at your destination.

In its first-ever safety report, Uber says it received nearly 6,000 reports of sexual assault from both rides and drivers across the US in both 2017 and 2018. Out of that total, nearly 45% accounted for riders alone.

Among the incidents, there were 464 reports of rape; 92% of the victims were riders and 89% of those were women and female-identifying individuals.

Over the past year, Uber has partnered with sexual assault prevention networks and safety groups that have guided them in adding new safety features. From rigorous background checks, an in-app emergency button and check-in technology that detects potential crashes or unexpected long stops during a trip, Uber continues to strive to lower these frightening statistics.

We hope you find them helpful and please, share them with those you love!