Uber launched their “teen accounts”, which allow users aged from 13 to 17 years old, to travel alone in different cities around the United States. This new functionality, which was made available this Monday, lets teenagers request their own rides on Uber. Simultaneously, parents and guardians get notifications, and they can follow up on the ride from the start to the end of it. To access this option, parents and guardians have to add their children in their family profile. This will let them create an account for their children.
According to Uber, drivers who are assigned rides with underage users are selected by taking their rating and experience on the app. Additionally, all employees must go through a complete background check before offering their service. In this sense, safety is the main priority for Uber. For this reason, they have also implemented some extra measurements for rides with adolescents.
For instance, audio can be recorded automatically as soon as the user decides to activate the recording option. In addition, other safety alternatives include the possibility to call 911, contacting the support team or reporting any type of issue through the app.
Teen accounts were initially made available in 14 cities, including Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Kansas and New York. However, Uber is planning on expanding this service to more city zones eventually. This new functionality provides teenagers with a safe option to have their own rides, as well as parents and guardians with the possibility to track their children.