My parents have always told me to never walk alone, never uber alone, always be aware of my surroundings, not get myself into sketchy situations, and many other safety precautions to keep me safe. Until I came to college, I never really took them seriously. It is important that your students are taking safety precautions when Ubering or using Lyft while they are at school.
Step 1: Try to never uber home alone! It is always best to have at least one other person with you when Ubering home.
Step 2: Request an Uber from a safe place. Stay in a well-lit place or indoors until you receive the notification that your driver has arrived.
Step 3: When the Uber has arrived, make sure you are getting into the right vehicle. You can assure it is the right vehicle by making sure the license plate on your Uber app matches the license plate on the uber driver’s car as well as matching the driver’s photo to the driver. ALWAYS ask the driver “Who are you here for?”, instead of asking “Is this for ___”.
Step 4: Make sure someone knows that you have left and knows where you are going. Uber and Lyft both offer a feature where you can share your ride with friends and family. This is a great feature to try and assure 100% safety because your friends/family will be able to see where you are at all times when you are in the Uber and when you get dropped off.
Step 5: If you think something isn’t right, trust your gut! If something doesn’t feel right, ask to be dropped off at the closest well-lit busy area. Also, it is important to note to not take water, food, or candy/mints from your driver just to be safe.
Step 6: Always report to Uber/Lyft if your driver has made uncomfortable comments, poor driving, or something didn’t feel right during the ride.
I think it is also very important that your students are staying aware of different situations and using their instinct. If something feels wrong, something is probably wrong! Share this with your college student to make sure they are taking precautions when taking Ubers/Lyfts.