Lyft News

Safe Rides, Safer Communities

Oct 19, 2016
Safer Rides, Safe Communities image poster

Safety is a top priority for us, and it is our goal to make every ride safe, comfortable, and reliable for both drivers and passengers. Recently we’ve also found that Lyft plays a larger role to promote safety in the communities we serve.

As public safety executives, the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives (NAWLEE) knows firsthand that adequate on-demand transportation reduces drunk driving and violent crime. That’s why we’re proud to team up with them as part of a broader effort to double down on our commitment to safety. We sat down with NAWLEE Board members to learn more.

What is NAWLEE?

We’re an organization made up of women law enforcement officers representing agencies across the country. Our focus is providing training and mentoring opportunities to women in law enforcement.

Why is NAWLEE partnering with Lyft?

As women in law enforcement, we are acutely aware of the safety concerns of women. We believe that ridesharing services, and Lyft in particular, have raised the standard of trust, accountability, and transparency in transportation by introducing innovative features previously not available to transportation consumers.

We believe these are key reasons why women have chosen Lyft and now account for nearly 30% of drivers on the Lyft platform and 60% of passengers — and many of Lyft’s top executives are women themselves.

Are there particular safety features built into Lyft that stand out?

Absolutely. But you have to put these innovations in the context of transportation options that existed before Lyft, many of which offered none of these safety features.

  • Drivers must pass a rigorous criminal history and driving record review and abide by a zero-tolerance drug and alcohol policy.

  • All rides are tracked via GPS from start to finish.

  • Passengers receive driver details that include a photo of the driver, the driver’s name, a photo of the vehicle (make and color), and the license plate number.

  • All payment transactions, including tipping, are processed automatically with a previously saved credit or debit card with no need to handle or carry cash.

How else does ridesharing increase public safety?

Studies have shown that availability of services like Lyft in an area not only improve overall road safety, but reduce alcohol-related driving arrests by up to 51%, and reduce assault and disorderly conduct arrests by up to 42%.