Response from Lyft to Murdered Behind the Wheel report
“Safety is fundamental to Lyft. Since day one, we have worked to design policies and features that protect both drivers and riders, and we are always looking for ways to make Lyft an even safer platform. We are committed to helping protect our community from crime - that’s why we have a dedicated, around the clock safety response team, a partnership with ADT to aid in emergencies, and work with leading national organizations to inform our safety policies.”
Background:
We support both riders and drivers who wish to cancel rides that do not feel safe to them.
Lyft Safety features and policies
Emergency Help, supported by ADT
- If a driver ever feels unsafe, they are able to quickly and discreetly connect with an ADT security professional. ADT can alert authorities so they can arrive at the driver’s location, equipped with ride details like the vehicle’s make and model, license plate number, and intended drop-off location.
Smart Trip Check-in
- If we notice certain ride irregularities we reach out to drivers directly. We will ask drivers if they need help, and, if appropriate, connect them to emergency assistance or our own Safety team.
How Lyft responds:
Safety team
- Our Safety team is available 24/7 so that drivers and their families can always reach someone if they have concerns, and so we can take action to help keep our community safe.
- In addition to being available in the app, drivers or their families can contact Lyft’s Safety team through our Help Center website.
Working with law enforcement
- We have a dedicated Law Enforcement Response team that operates 24/7. Our policy is to respond to 100% of valid law enforcement requests.
Our process
- As soon as a safety incident is reported to us, it is our policy to immediately reach out to the driver to offer support. In the event we can’t contact the driver, we attempt to reach out to their family to offer support.
- While every situation is unique, our specialized group of trained Safety advocates work with the driver’s family to determine their specific needs and provide meaningful support to them directly. It can include financial assistance.
Listening to drivers feedback
- We regularly ask for drivers feedback — we have a Driver Advisory Council (DAC) as a way to gather ideas and direct feedback on product features and we also have a Safety Advisory Council made up of external safety experts and advocates."