Uber urges passengers to verify drivers before patronising vehicles

Uber’s General Manager for West Africa, Lola Kassim, said “as users, there are features that you must note even before you get into the car. Some of them are looking at the driver’s face, asking of his name, the type of car and licence plate. You should be able to validate these before getting into the car. If any of those things do not match and a wrong person shows up, you should not get into the car and immediately report that to us.”

She explained that the pictures and other features that appear when a client orders an Uber was meant to protect passengers at all times and, therefore, should not be taken for granted.

This caution is coming after clients made a series of reports of abuse and near kidnap incidents when they ordered for uber services.

Ms Kassim said that users and drivers could also select up to five friends and family members as trusted contacts whom they could prompt to share trip details on the app.

“Safety is at the heart of all we do at Uber and we are always working to build a better experience for driver-partners registered on the app.”

“We think it’s important to collaborate with safety, health and security experts, as well as organisations such as Old Mutual, to organise workshops that provide driver-partners with relevant and useful safety tips, thereby empowering them to make safer decisions before, during and after every ride.”

“As safety is a critical pillar to us at Uber, we are striving to ensure that driver-partners have access to information that improves quality and safety while on the road,” Ms Kassim added.

To curtail driver fatigue, she said, the company had functions on the app that limited drivers from being on the road for more than 12 hours.

“After12 hours, we say to our drivers: ‘Please take a six-hour break’, and that is our commitment to safety for users on our platform,” she said.