Uber has recently introduced a groundbreaking initiative in South Africa: teen accounts. This move marks a significant step forward in catering to the transportation needs of young riders while prioritizing safety and convenience.
In a country where traditional transportation options might not always be reliable or accessible, especially for teenagers, Uber‘s introduction of teen accounts is a game-changer. Now, young riders aged between 13 and 17 can seamlessly access Uber’s services with accounts linked to their parents’ or guardians’ Uber profiles, ensuring supervision and control over their rides.
Uber Teen Safety Features
“We’re thrilled to offer this innovative feature to families in South Africa, with key safety features built into the heart of the experience. Whether their teen is getting a ride to an internship or heading home after football practice, parents will receive real-time notifications and can follow along with live trip-tracking every step of the way. We’re committed to helping keep teens safe and getting families moving,” says Kagiso Khaole, GM of Uber Sub-Saharan Africa.
Kagiso adds that only drivers who have passed local screening and background check requirements, and are highly-rated will be able to receive trip requests from teen account holders. Drivers can choose to opt-out of receiving teen trips at any time.
The introduction of teen accounts also addresses the evolving transportation needs of young people in South Africa.
How is Uber Teen Different?
Live Trip Tracking: To help keep parents in the know, they can follow along in the app with real-time updates and live trip tracking whenever their teen requests a ride. Additionally, for teen trips, parents will receive the driver’s name, vehicle information, and requested drop-off location so they know exactly where their teen is going and who is behind the wheel.
PIN Verification: Before a teen gets in the car for a trip, they’ll be prompted to give their driver a unique PIN. Drivers will not be able to start the trip until they enter the correct code into their app, providing an extra layer of protection to ensure teens get into the right car with the right driver.
RideCheck: The app uses sensors and GPS data to detect if a ride goes off course, stops unexpectedly, or ends early. If something like this happens, the Uber app will message the teen and the driver to make sure they’re OK. RideCheck will be adjusted to be more sensitive during teens trips.
Audio Recording: Uber’s Audio Recording feature allows users to record audio of their trip directly through the app and saves files on the device, automatically encrypting them so that no one – not the driver, not the rider or parents, and not Uber – can listen back to the recording.
Expanded Communication: Parents and guardians will be able to contact their teen’s driver at any time during a trip.
Only Highly Rated, Experienced Drivers: Only drivers who have passed local screening and background check requirements and are highly-rated and experienced will be able to receive trip requests from teen account holders. Drivers can choose to opt-out of receiving teen trips at any time.
Uber’s launch of teen accounts in South Africa represents a significant milestone in the evolution of ride-hailing services in the country.
