Starting today, Uber app will remind you to buckle your seatbelt shortly after the trip begins. The concern of passengers not using seatbelts remains significant, according to a service note on the new safety feature, even though 50 percent of all car accident fatalities in the US in 2022 were caused by not using them. Now, your driver's phone will issue a voice reminder when you get in, saying, "Please use your seatbelt for your safety." You will also receive a push notification on your phone at the same time saying, "Even on a short ride and sitting in the back, use your seatbelt for extra safety."
The company began testing audio seatbelt reminders in 2021 based on driver feedback. It then believed that the reminders "will increase seatbelt usage and help drivers ensure a safe environment during rides." This launch makes it available widely in the US, UK, Taiwan, Latin America, as well as several countries in Africa. Uber intends to bring it to more territories in the future.
The feature will be activated only for your first five trips after the feature's launch. It is reasonable to assume that Uber hopes you will get used to buckling your seatbelt after these first five times, although it will send you a message every trip 10 times afterward. Additionally, the company recently launched a new safety preferences section where you can find and make service safety features automatic. From there, you can enable features like audio recording, PIN verification, RideCheck, and Share My Trip automatically.
