I-Team Investigation: Underaged Uber, teens using ride-sharing service

Seventeen-year-old T.J. is a senior in high school who says he’s been using ride sharing services like Uber since he was 14 years old. He says it’s come in handy especially when he was an underclassman because he didn’t have his driver’s license yet. He says, in his mind, safety isn’t a concern. “I don’t feel unsafe and my parents don’t feel unsafe about me getting in an Uber.”

Ride sharing services like Uber and Lyft have made it easy to get a ride at the touch of an app and a credit card on file. Both make it clear, you have to be 18 to sign up, but that hasn’t stopped underage riders from downloading, checking the box that says they’re of age, adding their ATM card or their parents, then using the service.

An Uber spokeswoman responded to this very topic saying:

“Users agree to our terms and conditions when they download the app. We expect them to adhere to them. If we were to discover that someone under 18 had set up an Uber account, the account would be deactivated.”

But, how does Uber find out if a minor is using their services? And, would they actually do something about it? They are making money off every ride regardless of age. Does the responsibility then come down to the driver who’s picking up?

Jami Gomez, an Uber driver says she hasn’t been told to check identification, “I have not seen any strict regulations as far as to what I am supposed to do or what I’m not supposed to do. It’s just a personal preference I guess that I would just make sure that every aspect of the ride is safe.”

Gomez, has been driving for Uber for about a year now and says she’s noticed an up-tick in the amount of minors using the service. She’s picked up teens from school, after school activities and parties.

“To be honest for the most part it is safe, you are logged as far as to where you are going where your destination is, who’s picking you up, there’s a picture of who your driver is so it’s safe as far as knowing point A to point B.”

But is that enough? The argument that Cab companies are held to stricter guidelines than ride sharing services like Uber continues. Cabs are overseen by law enforcement. Uber’s cars and drivers have no special licensing requirements, no metering and rate standards, no twice yearly police inspection or special training. Also, at this point drivers do not partake in drug or alcohol screenings. Uber relies on their background checks.

Uber spokesman Taylor Bennett says, “Unlike the taxi industry, our background checking process and standards are consistent across the United States and often more rigorous than what is required to become a taxi driver.”

When asked if he’s ever had a problem with an Uber driver or seen strange behavior, 17-year-old T.J. said, “Yea one time with my friend and she like almost turned onto the wrong side of the road, that was pretty scary, she didn’t seem all there. She seemed like she might have been under the influence of something.”

As a parent of a teen who’s used Uber, hearing that bit of information is terrifying. After all, we are all *regardless of age* relying on a safe sober driver to transport us.

Ride sharing services and cab companies have had problems with drivers who have broken the law. That’s just one of several reasons local mom Jenny Johnson has concerns when it comes to allowing her teen daughter to use Uber even-though she says, it could help with her family’s daily transportation issues.

“It’s busy, we’re constantly trying to coordinate rides, I have a foreign exchange student also so I actually have 5 girls in the house and one has practice and one doesn’t, one has piano, one has a voice lesson, so when you have five people plus a husband and a wife 7 schedules, it’s really hard.”

Hard but not impossible and according to Johnson not enough of a reason to risk her daughter’s safety. As for T.J., he says despite the one strange driver he encountered he will continue to use Uber without hesitation.

“If somebody’s drinking then it’s obviously the safer way. I mean if somebody can pick me up and take me somewhere, I’d rather do that cause you’re with a friend, but it that’s not available then Uber is a fine second choice.”

Since strict regulations are not in place to keep minors from using Uber here are some tips to help keep teen users safe. First, ride with a buddy. Second, let someone know that you are taking an Uber and where you’re going. Third, the Uber driver is not your friend, restrict the amount of personal information you give the driver. Fourth, if there’s a problem notify Uber immediately and the police.