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Uber launched a new feature giving female passengers the ability to select a female driver in August. The app said the change was driven by high demand from female users and a goal to make them feel more comfortable.

Lyft has a similar program called Women+ Connect, which launched in 2024. The program allows women and non-binary passengers to prioritize being matched with a non-male driver, though a match is not guaranteed.

These programs are part of both ride-share apps’ efforts to improve rider safety. Despite these efforts, Uber received a report of sexual misconduct or sexual assault once around every eight minutes between 2017 and 2022, according to the New York Times and Uber’s safety statistics. According to Lyft reports, safety incidents occur in less than 1% of their rides, but that isn’t zero.

For students at Syracuse University, ride-shares are a particularly common mode of transportation. Syracuse winters make walking distances late at night difficult, and many students rely on Uber and Lyft to get home after nights out.

SU’s Department of Public Safety has its own ride-share safety guidance, modeled in part on the 2019 murder of Samantha Josephson, a University of South Carolina student who got into a car she believed was her Uber and was killed by the driver.

Uber and Lyft take strides to enhance passenger safety by limiting the personal information shared between drivers and passengers, providing in-app emergency buttons and maintaining real-time GPS tracking on every trip, among other measures.

But these companies cannot control all aspects of a ride. Knowing what steps to take as a rider to keep yourself safe can make a difference. Here’s a list of tips for your next shared ride.

Make sure it’s your ride before you get in

Before entering a vehicle, riders should verify three things: the license plate, the car’s make and model and the driver’s photo. All three appear in the app once a driver accepts a trip.

Riders should ask the driver to confirm the passenger’s name, rather than offering their own name first. A legitimate driver will already have it. If anything does not match, riders should not get in and should report the discrepancy through the app.

Limit shared personal information

Both Uber and Lyft require a name and phone number to create an account, but it does not mean riders have to share that information with their driver. Using a pseudonym or nickname in the app’s display name keeps a rider’s real identity private.

When contacting a driver, riders should use the in-app messaging or calling features. Calling a driver directly through a personal number removes the app’s anonymization protections, giving the driver access to the rider’s phone number.

When traveling home, riders should consider being dropped off at a nearby landmark such as a corner or well-lit intersection, rather than providing their exact address.

Familiarize yourself with in-app safety features

Both apps include a safety toolkit, accessible by tapping a shield icon on the map screen during a trip. The toolkits house an emergency button, which connects riders directly to 911. When activated, the app automatically provides the dispatcher with the rider’s live location, along with the vehicle’s make, model and license plate number.

Uber offers a partnership with American District Telegraph that allows riders to connect with a trained safety agent via phone or text for situations that are uncomfortable but do not yet warrant a 911 call.

Lyft provides the same integration, where riders can also choose to silently alert 911 without making a call. This can be useful in situations where speaking on the phone could escalate a tense or potentially dangerous situation.

Both apps include audio recording features within the toolkit. Recordings remain private unless a rider chooses to share them with the company’s safety team.

Keep a friend updated

Uber and Lyft allow riders to share live trip details, including GPS location, driver information and estimated arrival time, with a rider’s chosen contacts through the app. Riders should sync their contacts to the apps in advance so the feature is ready to use when needed.

It’s also worth sending a manual text. Trusted contacts may be occupied or miss an in-app notification, making direct messages a reliable backup.

Red flags to watch out for

Certain behaviors from a driver warrant extra caution. A driver asking a rider to cancel the trip and pay in cash is a major warning sign, as it takes the ride off the platform and removes GPS tracking.

Asking for personal information beyond what the app provides, the presence of an unexpected additional passenger and engaged child locks on the rear doors are also cause for concern.

What to do if something goes wrong

If a rider feels unsafe but is not yet in an emergency, faking or placing an actual phone call to a friend while verbally stating the driver’s name, car and location can deter escalation and keep someone else informed.

For emergencies, riders should use the in-app emergency button in the safety toolkit. Once safe, riders should report the driver through the app. Both Uber and Lyft review safety reports, and drivers can be removed from the platform following an investigation.

Published on March 2, 2026 at 11:41 pm
Contact Caroline: cberskin@syr.edu