CBS4 joined Julian Quezada, an Uber driver, on a ride to see a firsthand look at the in-app safety feature Uber provides for drivers.

Uber in El Paso has been a topic of discussion since a woman from Kentucky, Phoebe Copas, shot Daniel Piedra Garcia, an Uber driver in El Paso, because she believed Garcia was kidnapping her to Juarez, Mexico.

"This lane switch right here is where people get nervous so again you need to remind them ‘Hey, we’re not going to Mexico’," Quezada said.

Quezada has been with Uber since 2018 but started driving with passengers in 2021.

U.S. 54 is a route he has taken plenty of times while driving passengers in El Paso.

"I’ve had people ask ‘Wait are we going to Mexico?’ and it’s like ‘no, no’ if it’s going to that lane it’s going to Mexico and I would have to clarify for them," Quezada said.

Quezada heard of the shooting and questioned if Copas truly felt scared.

"You can’t just drive into Mexico. You get stopped. There’s help at the border. If you’re genuinely scared get help once you’re there," Quezada said.

Quezada said there are things drivers can do to feel more protected and help passengers feel safe like having a dashcam.

"I would highly recommend getting a dashcam to protect yourself from other drivers or from passengers I think it’s a good idea to get a dashcam," he said.

Quezada drives a Tesla and he doesn't need a dashcam since his car has cameras both inside and out.

Aside from drivers taking matters into their own hands, Uber has in-app help for their drivers:

• Emergency button: Users can call or text 911 and surfaces the real-time location and trip information
• “Live Help” from a Safety Agent: In August 2022, Uber announced Live Help from an ADT safety agent. For situations that don’t require police, fire or medical, Uber users can request a call or text from an ADT agent who can stay on the phone for the duration of the trip and can reach out to 911 if necessary. Rider video here. Driver video here.
• 911 integration in 1800+ jurisdictions: If a driver or rider uses the emergency button in one of these cities, Uber's tech and partnership with Rapid SOS enables key trip details to be digitally sent to 911 dispatchers including the caller's name, make and model of the car, license plate, and GPS. Read more about it HERE and a map of all the locations it is available HERE.
• Audio Recording: A new feature that enables riders and drivers to record audio during a trip. All audio recordings are encrypted and stored securely on the rider’s or driver’s device. Their recording will be locked, and no one—not the driver, not Uber, not the rider—has access to it. Uber can only access the recording if the rider or driver reports a safety incident and chooses to share the recording with Uber.
• RideCheck helps make sure drivers and riders are OK in the event of a possible crash or unexpected long stop.
• Follow My Ride feature available in the app for drivers enables them to share their trip route in real-time with family or loved ones.
• Uber has a no-firearms policy. See it here.
• Drivers and riders can report any incident or accident via the app or through Uber’s Safety Incident Reporting line - our safety team reviews this information constantly and investigates any issues. Uber’s Incident Response Team is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to respond to incidents globally.
• In 2021, Uber rolled out a new rider verification feature across the US that will provide an extra layer of verification for users who are using anonymous forms of payment such as prepaid cards, gift cards or Venmo.

Still, Quezada said there needs to be a more discreet way for drivers to call for help if they need it.

"Your phone more likely than not is connected to Bluetooth again ‘why is my driver calling 911’. You don’t want them to know all that stuff and it puts you in a vulnerable position and it almost dissuades you from using it when you would need it," Quezada said.

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