Uber announces new features aimed at improving driver safety
WASHINGTON - Uber wants to make its ride-hailing experience safer for drivers in D.C., Maryland, Virginia, and across the country.
The company, which operates in over 10,000 cities, has heard complaints and had to deal with the effects of violent carjackings in the area.
On Monday, they announced several new features and policy changes that they hope will make things less dangerous for the people who use their app and the ones who work for them.
"We want every driver and courier to know that we are listening to their needs and taking action," Uber's Chief Executive Officer Dara Khosrowshahi said in a statement. "We are improving the driver experience to help keep them safer on the road and give them a louder voice in deactivation decisions. From trip recording, more transparent deactivations, and expanded rider verification – we’re with them every mile of the way."
Beginning in 2024, riders will have to verify their accounts to confirm user details against "trusted data sources" or an ID document.
Boys ages 12 to 15 arrested for assaulting, carjacking ride-hail driver in Capitol Hill: police
Authorities have arrested three boys they say assaulted and carjacked a ride-hail driver in D.C.'s Capitol Hill neighborhood over the weekend.
Drivers will have the ability to make sure they're picking up passengers who have been verified by Uber.
The process may have prevented an alleged carjacking over the weekend that D.C. police believe three boys, ages 12, 14, and 15 years old, were involved in.
The police report states the kids arranged to be picked up from a Capitol Hill neighborhood, assaulted the driver when they arrived, and took off across town with the car.
Last month, an Uber driver told FOX 5 the harrowing story of how a teen allegedly attacked her and stole her car because she wouldn't let him bring his pet Yorkie Terrier along for the ride.
In the future, thieves will have a tougher time using anonymous payment methods, which the company says are often linked to fraud or malicious actions.
Teen arrested for violently carjacking Uber driver after she wouldn't let him bring his Yorkie
A teenager accused of attacking his Uber driver and stealing her car is now behind bars – three days after he hailed the ride in Northeast, D.C.
The guidelines for deactivating an account are changing, too, as Uber is aiming to be more transparent and fair with app users and employees when they have to do it.
The company has not disclosed the official date when they plan to roll out the safety features, but you can read more about the changes here.