Uber announced Friday that it has launched a new feature for parents of teens in the Miami area.
The rideshare company says a parent or guardian can now invite their teen to create an Uber account that will allow them to request their own rides and order food — all with parental supervision.
How do the accounts work and what measures are in place to keep teens safe?
How to create a teen account on Uber
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A teen account can be set up for children ages 13 to 17 through a family profile in the Uber app.
In the app, the parent or guardian must send an invite to their teen to create an account.
Once invited, your teen will receive a link to download the app, create their own account and complete the mandatory safety onboarding process.
Local
Uber is offering 40% off teen riders’ first 3 trips during their first month on the platform (up to $15 per trip). See app for details.
What safety features are in place for teens?
The specialized accounts have several safety features including live trip and delivery tracking, PIN verification, unexpected alerts if something goes off course, audio recording and teen-friendly Uber eats.
Parents and guardians will also be able to contact their teen’s driver at any time during a trip, as well as Uber’s safety line.
The app will also only use drivers and couriers who have passed local screening and background check requirements and are "highly rated and experienced."
Uber said in a press release that they spent more than a year developing the teen accounts and had consulted with safety experts before the launch.
“Teen accounts are built with transparency in mind so that there are no surprises for parents, teens, or drivers,” Product Manager at Uber Mariana Esteves said. “We’re thrilled to offer this innovative feature to families in more cities across the U.S., with key safety features built into the heart of the experience."
With this expansion, Uber teen accounts are now available in 250 cities across 49 states in the U.S.
