Riding Smart: The Essential Guide to Rideshare Safety: Lyft safety and Uber Safety Tips

william demuth
4 days ago
6 min read

Pay Per Ride Safety

Safety Tips When Paying for Rideshare

Lyft safety and Uber Safety Tips

Rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft have revolutionized how we move, offering convenience at the tap of a button. However, getting into a stranger's car always carries inherent risks. By building a "safety-first" routine, you can enjoy the convenience while minimizing potential dangers.

Pre-Rideshare Safety: Essential Preparations Before You Ride

Mitigating Risk Before the Car Arrives

Getting into a stranger’s vehicle carries inherent risks. While rideshare apps offer convenience, your safety depends on the preparation you do before the car pulls up. By strictly following these ten protocols, you can significantly reduce vulnerability and deter potential predators.

1. Manage Your Alcohol Intake

Intoxication is a primary risk factor in rideshare safety incidents. Alcohol significantly impairs the cognitive judgment needed to spot "red flags" and the physical coordination required to escape danger.

The Risk: Even moderate drinking can slow reaction times. Heavy drinking renders you ineffective at decision-making or self-defense.
The Strategy: If you have been drinking, do not ride alone. Ride with a trusted friend and ensure you travel to the same final destination together. Dropping a friend off first leaves the remaining passenger vulnerable. If you are too intoxicated to verify the vehicle details or defend yourself, call a family member for a pickup instead.

2. Master the In-App "SOS" Features

Familiarize yourself with the emergency toolkit in your app (Uber's "Shield" icon or Lyft's "Safety" shield) before you need it.

How it works: These features connect you directly to emergency dispatchers and share your real-time location and vehicle details.
The Limitation: Technology is not a substitute for awareness. These features rely on cell service; if you are in a "dead zone" or have unknowingly entered a rideshare impersonator's vehicle (which is not tracked by the app), this button will not work.

3. Minimize Personal Profile Information

Predators may form preconceptions based on your profile before they arrive.

The Strategy: Protect your identity. If the app allows, use your initials or a nickname rather than your full real name. This makes trip coordination easy without revealing your legal identity to strangers.

4. Ensure Your Phone is Fully Charged

Your phone is your lifeline. Most safety measures (GPS tracking, SOS calls, contacting friends) require a working device.

The Strategy: Charge your phone before leaving. Bring a portable power bank if you plan to be out late.
Warning: Do not rely on the driver’s charging cable. Plugging your phone into the driver’s console limits your mobility and makes it easy for a driver to confiscate your phone if a situation escalates.

5. Audit Your Voicemail & Privacy Settings

Rideshare apps usually mask phone numbers to protect privacy, but this protection has gaps.

The Gap: If a driver calls you through the app and you don't answer, the call may go to your personal voicemail. If your voicemail greeting says, "Hi, you've reached [Full Name] at [Phone Number]," you have just revealed your private contact details.
The Fix: Change your voicemail greeting to a generic message that does not state your number or full name.

6. Mask Your Pickup & Drop-Off Addresses

Never input your exact home or work address into the app if you can avoid it.

The Risk: Your address may remain in the driver’s trip history or navigation apps like Waze/Google Maps long after the ride ends.
The Strategy: Enter the address of a business, intersection, or landmark a few doors down from your actual destination. This provides a layer of insulation against stalking.

7. Build a Human Safety Net

Technology is useful, but a reliable friend is better.

The Strategy: Use the "Share My Trip" feature to send your live location to a friend. However, do not assume they are watching constantly.
Pro Tip: Explicitly text someone: "I am getting in an Uber now. If I don't text you in 20 minutes, please call me." Your safety is your responsibility; relying solely on a passive app notification is risky if your contact is distracted.

8. Don’t Lean In

When the car arrives, maintain physical boundaries.

The Danger: Leaning your head or torso through the open window to speak to the driver puts you in a vulnerable position. You could be grabbed and pulled inside, or assaulted by passing pedestrians behind you.
The Strategy: Stand clear of the door frame and speak loud enough to be heard without breaking the plane of the window.

9. Make Them Say Your Name

Never volunteer your identity first. A predator can easily agree if you ask, "Are you here for Sarah?"

The Test: Instead, ask: "Who are you here to pick up?"
The Goal: The driver must provide your name (or the name on the account). If they cannot, do not get in. Verify their name in return.

10. The "Match 3" Verification Rule

Rideshare impersonators are a serious threat. They may use stolen trade dress (stickers/lights) to trick victims.

The Action: Before opening the door, match three distinct data points from your app to the vehicle in front of you:
1. License Plate: This must match exactly.
2. Car Make/Model: Don't accept "my other car is in the shop."
3. Driver Photo: Look at the driver's face.
The Rule: If any of these do not match, do not get in. If the driver tries to lure you into a different car or claims the app is wrong, cancel the ride immediately and move to a safe location.

How To Develop a Sign-Countersign Challenge: Enhance Your Safety with a Trustworthy Contact

Phase 2: Before You Enter the Vehicle

The most critical safety steps happen before you even open the car door.

1. Match the Details (The "Check Your Ride" Rule)

Never get in a car without verifying the details in the app. Scammers or predators may pose as drivers in busy areas.

License Plate: This is the most important identifier. Make sure the plate matches the app exactly.
Make and Model: Ensure the car looks like the one described (e.g., if the app says "Silver Toyota Camry," don't get into a "Blue Honda Civic").
Driver Photo: Glance at the driver and compare them to the photo in the app.³

2. The "What's My Name?" Test

Avoid asking, "Are you here for [Your Name]?" A fake driver can simply say "Yes."

Instead, ask: "Who are you here to pick up?"
The Goal: Make them say your name first. If they don't know it, do not get in.

3. Wait Indoors

Avoid standing alone on a dark sidewalk or staring down at your phone, which signals you are distracted. Wait inside a building until the app shows the driver has arrived.

Phase 3: During the Ride

Once inside, maintain boundaries and stay alert.

1. Sit in the Back Seat

Whenever possible, sit in the back seat on the passenger side.

Why? It gives you more personal space, puts you in the driver’s peripheral vision (rather than directly behind them), and ensures you can exit safely onto the curb rather than into traffic. It also gives you two potential exit doors instead of one.

2. Share Your Trip Status

Both Uber and Lyft have "Share Status" or "Share My Trip" features.

Action: Send your live location to a friend or family member. They can track your movement in real-time and see the driver's details.

3. Follow Your Own GPS

Don't rely solely on the driver's navigation. Open Google Maps or Waze on your own phone.

The Benefit: You will know immediately if the driver is deviating from the route or taking you to an unexpected location.

4. Protect Your Privacy

Be friendly, but guard your personal information.

Don't share: Your phone number, exactly where you work, or whether you live alone.
Tip: If you are heading home, consider entering an address for a coffee shop or store a few doors down from your actual residence.

Phase 4: Red Flags & Scams to Avoid

Be ready to cancel the ride if you spot these warning signs.

The Scenario	The Red Flag	The Safety Move
Wrong Car	"My car is in the shop, so I'm driving this one."	Do not get in. Rideshare companies require drivers to use the specific registered vehicle.
Solicitation	"Cancel the ride in the app and pay me cash; it's cheaper."	Refuse immediately. Going off-app removes all GPS tracking and insurance protection.
Child Locks	You cannot open the door from the inside.	Check immediately. Upon entering, check the lock. If it's engaged, demand to be let out or roll down the window to open it from outside.
Fake Passenger	There is another person in the car (who isn't a co-rider).	Do not enter. Unless you booked a pool/shared ride, you should be the only passenger.

Pro-Tips for Solo Travelers

If you are traveling alone or at night, add these layers of security:

The "Fake Call" Strategy: If you feel uncomfortable, make a fake call to a friend. Say something like, "Hey, I'm in the Uber now. I'll be there in 10 minutes; I know you're waiting outside for me." This signals that someone is expecting you.
Check the Door Handle: Before you fully settle in, ensure the door opens from the inside.
Trust Your Gut: If a driver seems intoxicated, aggressive, or overly inquisitive, ask to be let out at the nearest safe public spot. It is better to be rude and safe than polite and in danger.

Summary Checklist

Verify License Plate & Driver.Ask "Who are you picking up?"Sit in the back.Share your trip status.Follow the route on your phone.