SALT LAKE CITY — Riders and drivers in 20 of Utah’s 29 counties will now be able to text 911 from Uber’s in-app emergency button.
The new feature, part of the 911 assistance button housed inside Uber’s Safety Toolkit, will allow riders and drivers to choose between texting or calling 911 should they need emergency assistance while on a trip with Uber.
While calling 911 is preferred by first responders, if riders or drivers cannot call, then they will have the option to text.
“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,” Sachin Kansal, Uber’s head of safety products, said in a statement.
When used, the text to 911 feature populates an SMS text message to 911 with key trip details including locations and vehicle information. Uber product managers consulted with 911 dispatchers to determine which information to include in an initial text message to 911.
Riders and drivers will be able to include additional information about their emergency before sending a text message to 911 dispatchers. Dispatchers will be able to stay in communication with the person who reached out until law enforcement makes contact.
The feature is available in Beaver, Cache, Carbon, Daggett, Davis, Duchesne, Garfield, Iron, Juab, Kane, Morgan, Piute, Salt Lake, Sevier, Tooele, Uintah, Utah, Washington, Wayne and Weber counties.
If text to 911 is not available, the user will get a response clarifying that text to 911 is not available in that specific area.