Uber just launched its Women’s Preferences feature nationwide, allowing female riders to request female drivers. Lyft has a similar program called Women+ Connect. While these are steps in the right direction, app features alone cannot protect you when a driver goes the wrong way.
Here is what you still need to know, regardless of which driver you get. These steps take less than 60 seconds and cost you nothing. Do them every single ride.
- Never ride alone under the influence.
Alcohol is the number one factor in rideshare robberies and sexual assaults. If you’ve been drinking, ride with a trusted friend or call someone you know. Your judgment and reaction time are your first line of defense, so protect them.
- Trust your gut before you ever get in.
Your intuition is your most powerful safety tool. If something feels off about the driver when they arrive — their appearance, behavior, or energy then cancel immediately. Never talk yourself out of a bad feeling to avoid being inconvenient.
- Verify the car AND the driver before you open the door.
Check the license plate, make, model and driver photo in the app before you approach the vehicle. Always ask “What’s my name?” — never announce it yourself. Criminals have been known to pose as rideshare drivers.
- Check the child lock before you sit down.
Run your hand along the interior door handle before closing the door. If the child lock is engaged, you cannot get out from the inside. This takes two seconds and could save your life.
- Track the route on your own phone the entire ride.
Pull up the map independently — not just the app — so you know exactly where you are going and can speak up immediately if the route changes. Say something early and confidently: “That’s not the right direction.”
- Sit directly behind the driver. Always.
He or she cannot easily reach you, which limits their ability to use force or a weapon against you directly. Never sit in the front passenger seat when riding alone.
📰 This tip was cited by Consumer Reports in their rideshare safety guide, quoting Beth Warford of Pretty Loaded as a personal safety expert → Read the full article here
- Use strong, deliberate eye contact.
Look at the driver in the rearview mirror with calm, confident eye contact. Research on criminal behavior confirms that predators avoid targets who appear alert and aware. You are sending a clear signal — I see you, I am paying attention, and I am not an easy target.
- Keep your belongings with you and never in the trunk.
Your bag stays in the back seat with you at all times. Putting belongings in the trunk gives a driver control over your exit and your property.
- Have your defense tool in your hand or easily accessible.
Carry a self-defense tool and have it accessible before you get in the car. The bottom of your purse is not accessible in an emergency. We recommend REPULS Defense Spray — it is the only defense spray safe and approved for use inside a vehicle, with no risk of blowback or cross-contamination to you.
10. If the driver pulls into an unknown location — fight.
Do not comply. Do not freeze. Do the opposite of what they tell you. Scream, use your defense tool, go for the eyes, the throat, the knees. Every second you fight buys you time and distance. We strongly recommend Krav Maga training — even one course gives you muscle memory that activates under stress when thinking is impossible.
__________________________________
Full Rideshare Safety Training → prettyloaded.org
The only defense spray safe to use in a vehicle → repulsdefensespray.com
As featured in → Consumer Reports: Staying Safe When Using Ride-Hailing Services
Beth is the founder of Pretty Loaded and a former NICU, PICU, and Sedation nurse. On a mission to install strength, awareness, and confidence, Beth began her journey as an educator and National speaker after a close encounter with a would-be predator. She has trained thousands of people in person, and hundreds of thousands through her online training and videos. Her safety videos have reached millions globally! She is responsible for starting the National Situational Awareness Day and this was approved by the registrar of the National Day Calendar. Beth has been featured on Fox News, Consumer Reports, Reddit, Yahoo!Finance, Elite Readers, BuzzFeed, ViralNova, and many more networks.
