Child safety | Uber launches accounts for teens

JOHANNESBURG - Would you allow your child to call a taxi on their own? Now young people between the ages of 13 and 17 years can create their own Uber account. 

The ride-hailing platform says the new Uber Teen Account is designed to help the modern family on the go.

The parent or guardian can now send an invite to their teen to create an account through a link, which includes a mandatory safety on-boarding process. 

From there it's similar to the regular Uber account, except with a key focus on transparency and safety. 

Parents can track the trip in real time, get notifications if it goes off course or stops unexpectedly, and audio is recorded for the entirety of the trip. 

Uber says only drivers who pass a screening test and background check are able to receive trip requests, and parents and guardians will be able to contact them at any time during a trip

Uber's general manager for Sub-Saharan Africa, Kagiso Khaole, spoke to eNCA.