Rideshare service Uber rolls out new safety features

Columbia,SC (WOLO)—- Tuesday Uber  announced the nationwide rollout of its RideCheck safety feature.

This new addition will allow Uber to check in with riders and drivers by harnessing the power of GPS, along with other sensors in the driver’s smartphone.

For example, if Uber detects that something may have gone wrong during a trip, like a car accident, or annune pected prolonged stop they can now initiate a RideCheck by reaching out to both rider and driver-partner to offer assistance.

Uber has been piloting and refining this feature for the past year and say it is the only feature of its kind currently available in the ridesharing industry in the U.S.

This is how it works. When a RideCheck is initiated, both a rider and driver will receive a notification asking if everything is OK and surfacing options for assistance. The rider, or driver can let Uber know through the app that everything is ok, or take other actions like contacting 911 through the emergency button or reporting the issue to Uber’s Safety Line.

The safety team may also follow up by phone to inquire about the RideCheck. In the event of a crash, Uber can also help expedite the insurance claims process.