When I’m out with friends and my parents aren’t available to pick me up, I’m faced with a decision: I can either wait for my parents to pick me up or I could use a ride-booking app. These apps allow users to order rides, which pick them up and drop them off at their desired destination, all from their phone.
Most ride-booking apps can be signed up for quickly. Uber ` is a great option for teens because its teen service is available for kids 13-18. However, for Lyft users must be 18 or older. To sign up, a form of payment such as a credit or debit card is needed. This process can usually be done in five minutes or less. Here is a guide to using ride-booking apps easily, safely and efficiently:
Safety
Many ride-booking apps have implemented precautions to ensure the safety of the rider. Uber, for example, has a feature that sends an alert to the rider’s phone when the driver stops for too long or goes too far off the designated route. The rider will then receive a notification asking if everything is okay. If they don’t reply, a button will be displayed which notifies emergency services of the rider’s exact location and vehicle information. The rider can also share their ride information or call a family member from the app when they get in the Uber, so there is the added protection of another person knowing about your ride.
Additionally, Lyft has many precautions to ensure drivers are trustworthy. Lyft does annual background checks on drivers and requires them to complete mandatory safety training before driving for the company.
In many scenarios, it can be safer driving with a ride-booking service than by yourself, because the drivers are experienced and know their way around the area. It can also help when someone is in a situation unfit to drive, such as being sick, tired or intoxicated. For new drivers who may not be comfortable driving on the highway or at night, ride-booking can be an easy alternative.
While these apps are generally safe, there have been instances where they have proven to be dangerous. According to the MKP Law Group, physical assault fatalities among riders are less than 100 fatalities per year nationwide, nonetheless, assault is a concern that should be taken extremely seriously.
Uber
Uber prides itself on being a safe, reliable platform. Most Ubers cost about $1 per minute of transit, and anyone can get an Uber pretty much anywhere in the DMV within 15 minutes.
Uber Teen is the easiest ride-booking method for students, as it is the only one solely dedicated to teens. Once teen users go through the sign up process, they have access to Uber’s most trusted drivers, albeit for a slightly steeper price.
For anyone looking for a safer version of traditional apps and are willing to spend a few extra dollars, Uber Teen is perfect. It will notify a parent or guardian when a user gets a ride and will let them track the route. The driver is also not able to start driving until the teen confirms a pin code that Uber provides for each ride.
Lyft
In Montgomery County most ride-booking drivers work for Uber, but many are also signed up as drivers on Lyft. Lyft can be useful in cities where they are more common and therefore cheaper than alternatives. It can also be helpful to check Lyft to see if there are any cheaper prices compared to Uber. However, Lyft is only available for passengers over 18. For safety purposes, make sure that when using Lyft, an adult is present. For this reason Uber is much more useful as teens can ride in them alone.
Alternatives
If you don’t want to ride in a car, Uber and Lyft are both linked to E-bike and E-scooter apps, which can be used by anyone over the age of 16. Uber is connected to Lime scooters and Lyft to Lyft scooters. These can be found on the street throughout most cities and can also be quite fun to ride, just be sure to wear a helmet for safety.
These services are the perfect way to get somewhere when in a pickle. With this guide, they can be the perfect efficient, cheap and safe option.
