With the warmer months upon us, there’ll be millions of trips taken with Uber this summer across Australia and New Zealand. But Uber isn’t only an app that gets people from A to B. It’s a community of people with a common goal – to create a world where it’s safe and easy for everyone to get around.

With that in mind, there’s some simple steps any rider can take to help make their summer a safe one.

Double check your ride

The Uber app always displays the make and model of your ride, as well as the number plates, making it easy to check you’re getting into the right car.

Earlier this month we also introduced a new feature – Spotlight – which makes it even easier to spot your ride. With Spotlight, your phone will light up with a colourful ‘Spotlight’ as the driver-partner approaches. The driver-partner sees this same colour in the app, so if you hold up your phone as they approach, they know they have the right rider.

Be responsible when you’re drinking

Ridesharing apps like Uber are changing the way people think about drinking and driving. In fact, a rider survey found that 77% of local Uber riders believe that Uber helps reduce drink driving in their community.

While Uber is a great way to get around if you’re having a drink or two, remember it’s not okay to bring an open alcohol container inside your ride.  

And since every ride should also be a positive experience for rider and driver-partner, we don’t tolerate bad behaviour. Remember, rider ratings count, so don’t let yours drop this summer! Treat people as you would like to be treated yourself to help make every ride a five-star experience.

Share rides with friends have fun from door to door

The Uber app includes some great features that can help you maximise the fun, while ensuring your friends get home safely.

You can choose to share a ride with a mate and use the Split Fare feature to share the cost – or choose multiple drop-off points on your journey.

Remember, there’s safety at your fingertips

Technology is changing the way we travel for the better and every Uber trip is GPS tracked. With Uber, it takes only a quick tap to share where you are and where you’re headed with anyone in your device’s contact list – so a friend or loved one can follow your trip along in real time.

In the unlikely event you encounter an emergency during your ride, you can use the Emergency Assistance button on your app to be connected directly to local emergency services. Your location will be displayed on the screen so you can let the operator know quickly and accurately where you are.

And in the Safety Toolkit section of your app, you’ll be able to find out more about safety at Uber, including how to contact our 24/7 support.