Ride-Share Safety and Partying

In Collaboration w/ Helping Survivors

*Trigger warning: mentions of SA, harassment

Ride-share services have made the road safer for everyone - especially partygoers. Since Uber was introduced in 2010:

• arrests for DUIs have cut in half; 

• deaths from alcohol-related motor vehicle crashes decreased by nearly 25%;

• motor vehicle crashes and accidents overall are fewer than ever;

And the biggest improvements across-the-board are between 12:00AM-3:00AM on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights.

But we need to talk about the risks that come with using these services, especially after what the New York Times reported in August. 

An investigation published by the New York Times (link in the caption below) revealed that, between 2017-2022, Uber faced a new accusation of SA and harrassment by a driver every 8 minutes. 

While Uber had previously disclosed 12,522 reports of “serious SA” for that time, the Times’s investigation revealed a total of 400,181 reports of SA and sexual misconduct by standard legal definition. Lyft also disclosed tens of thousands of allegations against drivers. 

Like any statistics related to sensitive topics, these figures are certainly small fractions of the true scope of the issue.

Both Uber’s and the Times’s Reports Show Patterns: 

• Women most often are the victims, whether they are passengers or drivers. 

• The attacks typically occur late at night and on the weekend, with pickups originating near a bar.

• In the vast majority of cases, the offenders are men — drivers or passengers — with records of sexual misconduct complaints and low ratings

• Intoxicated passengers are especially vulnerable.

Ride-share services’ push to designate its drivers as independent contractors instead of employees isn’t just about absolving itself of financial obligations and benefits to its drivers; it’s also to limit its liability for their drivers’ behavior, and responsibility to properly vet drivers with background checks. 

Verify the Specifics of the Vehicle & Driver

After you confirm your ride through the app, make sure the car that arrives to pick you up matches the description of the ride you booked.

Check the color, make, and model of the vehicle and also the license plate to confirm they all match the one listed for your driver. This helps in busier cities where many cars look alike and many drivers are competing for rides. 

If anything is amiss, you should cancel the ride even if the driver insists they are your ride.

The individual who picks you up should be the same person listed in the app. To ensure the driver is who they say they are, instead of asking who they’re picking up, you can ask what their name is.

Also, when you accept a ride, the driver’s photo and rating appear. If something about the driver’s appearance or vehicle seems off, or if you don’t want a lower-rated driver, again: don’t be afraid to cancel the ride.

Confirm That You Are the Passenger

Never state your name first, as a predator could be posing as a ride-share driver and simply respond yes regardless of if they are there to pick you up or not. 

Instead, ask the driver who they’re here to pick up, so you can confirm it’s the right driver. This process helps improve driver accountability and reduces confusion for passengers.

Travel with a Friend or use Ride-pooling Option

It’s always best to have the support and protection of a friend. When you’re using a ridesharing service, try to travel with someone else, especially if going a long distance. If you are not out with a friend or are going very different directions, you can also often use the ride pooling or car sharing option which enables other passengers to be picked up along the route.

However, passengers often need to ride alone. In these cases, use the “share status” option in your app so that friends, family, or the people you’re meeting can track your progress. Make sure you let someone know your destination and check-in through a text or phone call once you’ve safely arrived, especially if you’re traveling a long distance, you are under the influence, or it is late at night.

Always Roll Down Your Window

Whenever you enter a ride-share, even if it is winter or late at night, you should roll down the window enough to get your arm out of the window if needed.

This is because bad actor drivers can deploy child locks on the doors, meaning you won’t be able to open it from the inside, essentially trapping you in the vehicle. By rolling down the window on every ride, you can ensure that if you need to escape by opening the door handle from the outside, you can.

Video or Audio Record

If you are already in the vehicle and the driver starts acting inappropriately, you can pull out your phone and start recording the drive. We recommend being covert about this versus announcing “i’m recording you” as this could agitate the driver and cause more harm.

You can also add in-app or external safety features that enable you to discreetly contact emergency services if needed.

Follow Your Gut Instincts

Many individuals will state feeling like something was amiss or strange prior to any type of safety incident happening. But, oftentimes individuals suppress this feeling because they might believe they’re overreacting or being paranoid. However, we always believe that if your body is telling you something feels off, it likely is — and it’s better to be safe than experience something dangerous or traumatizing.

If you are already in the vehicle and do not like how the driver is acting, you can ask them to pull over or drop you off somewhere closer like a restaurant, bar, or friend’s house. You can also pretend to be sick and tell them you need them to pull over immediately. Once pulled over, you can get out of the car and refuse to get back in and get to safety such as going into an open business.

If you or anyone you know experienced sexual harm by a ride-share app driver and need resources, support, or legal advice, please do not hesitate to reach out to Helping Survivors at www.HelpingSurvivors.org.

Works Cited

Steel, Emily. “Uber’s Festering SA Problem - The New York Times.” The New York Times, 6 Aug. 2025, www.nytimes.com/2025/08/06/business/uber-sexual-assault.html. 

Office, U.S. Government Accountability. “Ridesharing and Taxi Safety: Information on Assaults against Drivers and Passengers.” Ridesharing and Taxi Safety: Information on Assaults against Drivers and Passengers | U.S. GAO, 19 Nov. 2024, www.gao.gov/products/gao-24-106742. 

Sniffen, C., Durnan, J., & Zweig, J. (2018). Helping industries to classify reports of sexual harassment, sexual misconduct, and SA. Washington DC: RALIANCE.

“Ridesharing Safety Guide.” Helping Survivors, 25 Sept. 2025, helpingsurvivors.org/rideshare-sexual-assault/safety-guide/.