Uber is now sharing with drivers and riders information on how to pay special attention to the safety of people biking. Drivers on the Uber platform will receive four short videos with tips for how to share the road safely with people on bikes, including while making right turns, dropping off passengers and more. Additionally, both drivers and riders will receive targeted messaging and tips with best practices for sharing the road. As San Francisco’s number-one resource on safe streets education, your SF Bicycle Coalition consulted on the content of these videos and tips.
Vision Zero is achievable. Collisions are preventable. And safe streets advocates should seize every opportunity to eliminate serious crashes and traffic deaths.
In San Francisco, we will achieve Vision Zero through the three E’s: engineering, enforcement and education. Your SF Bicycle Coalition advocates for engineering solutions on dangerous streets and data-driven traffic enforcement. We provide safety education for people who bike as well as frequent drivers – those who spend the most time behind the wheel and whose driving behavior has a big impact on street safety.
Along with our political work and advocacy for physically-protected bike lanes, our 2016 Member Survey showed that driver education remains a top priority among people who bike in SF. It’s also a key goal under our current strategic plan. That work has never been more important than it is today.
Transportation network companies like Uber have changed the way many people get around our city. With ever-changing technology, there is an immediate need for safe streets in San Francisco. The opportunity to take the lead and reach hundreds of thousands with important safety information is one we cannot pass up.
With our streets more congested than ever, now is the time to focus on both immediate and long-term safety solutions. Consulting on these videos and tips ensures that the most accurate and up-to-date safety information is distributed to an unprecedented number of people driving and riding on San Francisco streets. This is groundbreaking for our city as well as the broader Bay Area, and will be a model for safe streets advocates and cities across the country.