Janelle Irwin Taylor
Uber riders in 45 of Florida’s 67 counties can now text 911 from the rideshare company’s mobile app if they’re in an emergency situation and calling is not an option, the company announced Tuesday.
The feature allows riders to tap the 911 assistance button within the app, which had already been available, and now includes the option to text a message to 911 operators.
The feature is included in some of the state’s biggest markets including Tampa, Jacksonville, Orlando, Naples and West Palm Beach.
Uber notes that calling is still the preferred method of communication, but the text option could assist riders in situations where that’s not an option.
“In an emergency, every second counts. This new addition to the app will allow Uber users to reach out to 911 in situations where they may not be able to make a phone call,” said Sachin Kansal, Uber’s Head of Safety Products.
The in-app feature populates a text message to 911 operators with crucial trip information including where the person is currently located, where they’re headed and what type of vehicle they’re in.
Uber product managers consulted with 911 dispatchers to find out what information should be included in an initial text message and came up with a sample text.
“I am taking a trip with Uber. White Toyota Prius ABC1234. My current location is 1562 Poblano Street. My intended destination is 1455 Market St. My emergency is:”
All of the information about locations and the vehicle are populated from information from the app. Drivers enter a destination when they book a trip or at the very beginning and the app already includes driver information, including the make, model and license plate number of their vehicle.
Riders can then include additional information about the state of their emergency. The feature allows riders to stay in contact with a dispatcher until help arrives.
“We are always exploring ways to help make travel safer,” Kansal said. “After piloting this feature in Los Angeles, Minnesota, and Indiana we are excited to expand it into more regions where text-to-911 is available.”
The feature is only unavailable in counties where texting is unavailable to 911 dispatchers, according to the FCC.
The feature is also available in the following counties:
— Alachua
— Bradford
— Brevard
— Broward
— Calhoun
— Charlotte
— Citrus
— Clay
— Collier
— Columbia
— DeSoto
— Dixie
— Duval
— Escambia
— Flagler
— Franklin
— Gulf
— Hamilton
— Hardee
— Hernando
— Lake
— Levy
— Liberty
— Madison
— Manatee
— Marion
— Monroe
— Nassau
— Okaloosa
— Orange
— Osceola
— Palm Beach
— Pasco
— Pinellas
— Santa Rosa
— Sarasota
— Seminole
— St. Johns
— St. Lucie
— Sumter
— Suwannee
— Taylor
— Union
— Volusia
— Walton.
