Uber adds new app feature intended to keep drivers safe

SALT LAKE CITY — Uber riders in Utah and around the country can now verify their identities on the app. This new feature is intended to make the app safer, especially for Uber drivers.

Uber Communications Manager Austen Radcliff said this program was built after many drivers told them they wanted to know more about who was getting in their vehicles.

“We have been piloting this program in a handful of cities across the United States, and drivers in those markets tell us that knowing riders undergo these additional steps helps make them feel safer.”

Some riders will automatically be verified, depending on if the company can easily cross-reference your information with a third-party database. If that doesn’t work, the other option is submitting a picture of a government-issued ID.

“We are basically helping to confirm that riders on the platform are who they say they are,” said Radcliff.

Radcliff said while the program is optional, over time, drivers might prefer accepting rides for verified riders only. She also said the company has seen fewer issues with verified riders getting serious complaints from drivers.