Lyft Teen launches for riders 13-17 years old

Young Lyft customers are getting their own app experience, as the ride share platform launches specialized teen settings for 13-17 year olds.

In response to a nationwide school bus driver shortage, rising costs, and what the company describes as transportation-induced stress on behalf of parents, Lyft Teen lets teens request their own rides with additional safety measures designed to expand on the app's safe ride guarantees.

The Lyft Teen experience adds new levels of security to the standard Lyft experience, starting with trip tracking and oversight for parents. Parents will get notified when their teen is picked up and dropped off, and are alerted if the app detects an unusual route change. Parents can see payment information and get full driver details while also communicating directly with them. Teen rides are automatically opted-in to PIN authorization, which requires rider and driver to verify a 4-digit code before getting in the car, and the app will automatically record audio using on-device microphones during the length of the trip.

Lyft also says teen riders will only be paired with the highest-rated drivers, those who have "annual background checks, proven safe driving records, positive passenger interactions, and experience behind the wheel." The company cited a 2022 survey from Bankrate that found only 25 percent of 16 year olds had a driver's license. Federal Highway Administration data shows that rate has remained steady.

"Here's something I learned working for Jeff Bezos: the strongest businesses are built on things that never change," wrote Lyft CEO David Risher in a blog post. "Teens will always need to get places. Parents will always want them safe. And families will always need transportation that actually works for their lives."

Lyft competitor Uber was recently ordered to pay $8.5 million in damages to a rider who was raped by a driver in 2023, with the federal jury determining the platform was liable for the rider's assault; the company is facing a flurry of sexual assault lawsuits. Both Lyft and Uber have been taken to court over alleged safety concerns, including dozens of pieces of litigation claiming the platforms do not do enough to prevent drivers from abusing their passengers. In response, the platforms have instituted additional rider-side safety measures, such as emergency alerts, gender-specific driver requests, and tools to block specific drivers.