Lyft is stepping up their commitment to safety for drivers and passengers alike by rolling out Emergency Help, supported by ADT to 100% of drivers and riders nationwide on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2020.
The feature will do more than simply call the police when requested. It’s also meant to help provide reassurance in uncomfortable situations where police services might not be necessary.
Quick summary:
- Drivers and passengers will be able to contact ADT security immediately if they feel unsafe
- Drivers will be able to request a call from ADT
- Passengers will be able to text, request a call, or have ADT silently alert 911 for them
- This will be rolling out nationwide to 100% of drivers and passengers on Nov. 18
Emergency Help from Lyft
According to Lyft, this is how the Emergency Help program works:
“With Emergency Help, if a driver or rider ever feels uncomfortable or unsafe, they are able to immediately connect with an ADT security professional silently or by voice. Riders are able to choose whether they want ADT to text them, call them, or silently alert 911 on their behalf. To promote focused driving, drivers have the option to request a call from ADT.
If requested by the user, ADT will alert authorities so they can arrive at the user’s live location, equipped with ride details like the vehicle’s make and model, license plate number, and the intended drop-off location.”
Within the Lyft driver app, a driver would simply click the down arrow in the upper right-hand corner, choose “Get emergency help” from that menu, and swipe to activate to have ADT call them while notifying 911.
Since texting while driving is illegal in most states, the texting feature that is available for riders is not available for drivers. Instead, a phone call is the driver’s option. Lyft reported, “It was important to us that drivers receive the same level of expert support without the potential distraction.”
Additional Lyft Safety Features
This is just one step of many that Lyft has taken to ensure safety on its platform. Other steps Lyft has taken include:
- Before giving their first ride, drivers can access safety tutorials and community safety education. They can view their rider’s name and rating before accepting a ride, and can decline a ride if they ever feel uncomfortable.
- Lyft has developed in-ride features that enable drivers to keep their contact information private, share their location with family and friends, and quickly and easily access emergency assistance from the Lyft app.
- After the ride, Lyft’s Safety team is available 24/7 so that drivers can always reach a live person if they have concerns, and so they can take action to keep the Lyft community safe.
Lyft’s safety announcement follows a series of other safety announcements they’ve made over the last year, including: Lyft’s New Mandatory Safety Training Program and Lyft Expands Health and Safety Program to Include Vehicle Cleaning Guidelines.
My Thoughts
Any step toward safety is a good one, in my opinion. The safer drivers and passengers feel, the better off we all are. If there’s a situation that arises, I want to know I’m able to handle it with the push of a button or two.
As a driver, I appreciate that calling is the immediate option to keep distracted driving to a minimum while also driving home to the passenger that you’re taking action.
As a passenger, I appreciate the discretion allowed to text ADT instead of making a phone call, so if I feel like I’m in an unsafe situation, I can call it out without tipping off the driver.
Drivers, what do you think about these new safety features from Lyft?
-Paula @ RSG
