Good morning, Greenville. Following the tragic news of a UofSC student in the Five Points neighborhood of Columbia last week, we wanted to share some important safety tips for ride-sharing services – like Uber + Lyft.

Uber offers ten safety tips for riders on their website. A few we thought best to highlight:

Request your ride inside. It’s easy to get distracted on our phones while we wait for our drivers. For added safety, wait inside until the app notifies you that your driver has arrived.
Share your trip details with someone you know. Whether it’s a friend, parent, or roommate, this should be a must if you’re traveling alone.
Protect your personal information. Never share your contact information with your Uber driver. If you need to contact them, Uber actually gives both you and the driver an anonymous number through the app.
Follow your intuition. Always use your gut when using a ride-share app. If you feel uncomfortable, or if you think you’re in an emergency situation, call 911 right away.

Read the rest of Uber’s tips for safe riding here.

DYK: You can choose a color for your Uber + Lyft to glow up as (also known as a beacon color), which then helps you identify your driver as they pull up. While this is not currently available in all markets, following recent events, Rep. Seth Rose, D-Columbia, is proposing a bill to make the illuminated logo mandatory.

Another tip we can offer is to always ask the driver who they are picking up prior to getting in the car. Instead of saying something like, “Are you here for Nicole?” try saying, “Who are you picking up?” And of course, always double check the make, model, and license plate number before approaching the vehicle.