Uber Canada Launches Safety Feature for Late Night Rides

Uber Canada has introduced a new suite of safety features designed to enhance the on-trip experience for riders, especially those late at night.

The move comes as a response to the 81% of riders who cite safety as their primary factor in using Uber for transportation needs during night-time activities such as hanging out with friends, attending sports events, or going on first dates.

The new feature allows riders to customize their experience through the introduction of “safety preferences” within the Uber app. This new section lets users configure a set of safety tools that turn on automatically under certain conditions—such as specific times of the day, on weekends, or when near bars and restaurants.

Riders will be able to schedule audio recordings during specific trips. These recordings are encrypted and stored on the rider’s device, accessible only if the rider opts to share them with Uber following a reported safety incident.

PIN verification lets riders opt to use a four-digit PIN verification system with their driver, before a trip can begin. This makes sure you’re getting into the right Uber.

RideCheck monitors the trip for any irregularities, such as unexpected stops or deviations from the planned route, and prompts in-app check-ins to confirm the rider’s safety.

With Share My Trip, riders can automatically share their trip details and live location with trusted contacts, with customization options based on the time or situation of their ride.

How to set up these new safety preferences? Head over to the “Account” tab in the Uber app, select “Settings,” then “Safety preferences,” or set them up directly from the Safety Toolkit (blue shield icon) during a trip.

For those who take Uber rides late at night, to see that these features can be enabled automatically based on specific times, that’s a good thing for safety.