Uber is introducing Teen Accounts and meal delivery options for teenagers in California. This new feature caters to teenagers’ busy schedules while offering parents peace of mind thanks to enhanced safety measures.
The Teen Accounts feature is a game-changer for families who want to ensure their teenagers have independence while maintaining a semblance of parental control. Your teen must be at least 13 years old to use this feature.
This innovative approach combines convenience with safety measures, offering a blueprint for businesses aiming to cater to diverse customer needs while prioritizing security.
Uber’s new Teen Accounts
Teenagers have places to be – school, sports, the mall, and hanging out with friends. The new feature allows teenagers to request rides and order meals while their parents still “maintain oversight.”
The Uber Teen Account also has live safety features and real-time updates, ensuring their parents know when they’re on the move. Parents can follow along in the app, from pickup to drop off.
The ‘Share My Trip’ feature is automatically activated for teen trips. In addition, trips ordered by teens are also “destination-locked,” meaning the drop-off point is fixed once the trip starts, though the teen can adjust the destination if needed.
Minors will also be matched with highly rated and experienced drivers and couriers, who undergo “thorough background checks.” Verified drivers are re-screened annually.
Other safety features include:
- Unique Pin Verification for all trips.
- In-trip Emergency Button for 911 or Support.
- Audio Recording is automatically on for all teen trips.
- RideCheck is automatically on, and cannot be turned off.
More spending, more problems?
Giving your teenager the freedom to request meals and rides won’t bankrupt you. Uber has seen to that with the built-in spending limits feature.
This feature enables parents to set a custom budget, which can be adjusted anytime from the app. Uber explains: “Together, we can help them go anywhere and get (almost) anything they need.”
Rest assured, teens won’t be able to buy age-restricted items, such as alcohol and certain medications.
How to add an Uber Teen Account
It’s easy and only takes 3 steps.
- From the Account menu item, navigate to Family and create a family profile.
- Select Invite Family, then choose Teen. Select their name from your contacts.
- Ensure the payment information is up to date before the first trip is requested.
Once this has been set up, your teenager will receive an invite via SMS. They must complete a “mandatory safety onboarding” before they are ready for their first ride. Parents are also advised to familiarize themselves with the Uber app and its safety features.
While activating the Teen Account, it’s best to sit with your teen and walk them through the process. To benefit from the enhanced safety features, they would need to understand the ins and outs of the app, too.
If your child has food allergies, remind them to inform the restaurant when ordering via Uber Eats. This can be done from within the Uber Eats’ order notes. Finally, parents are urged to familiarize themselves with curfew laws within their jurisdiction.
About the author
Cheryl has contributed to various international publications, with a fervor for data and technology. She explores the intersection of emerging tech trends with logistics, focusing on how digital innovations are reshaping industries on a global scale. When she's not dissecting the latest developments in AI-driven innovation and digital solutions, Cheryl can be found gaming, kickboxing, or navigating the novel niches of consumer gadgetry.
