SEATTLE, Wash. — Rideshare company Lyft launched a new pilot program to provide drivers with more security.

The “Rider Verification” program will verify a passenger’s identity before a driver picks them up. According to a news release, the company will test the program in nine cities: Seattle, Detroit, Jacksonville, Houston, Atlanta, Phoenix, Chicago, Denver and Miami.

Rider Verification works by cross-referencing rider information with third-party data sources to confirm the person requesting a ride is who they claim to be.

According to Lyft, it will be seamless for most riders. Most will be verified passively and won’t need extra steps. Under the pilot program, drivers can view a rider’s name, verification status, rating and profile photo before accepting a request.

“The Rider Verification program is a direct response to what our driver community has been asking for — a way to enhance their peace of mind and ensure they can trust who they’re picking up,” said Audrey Liu, EVP of Rider Experience and Community Safety. “Rider verification can help drivers confirm that riders are who they say they are, and is an important step in Lyft’s work to help everyone feel more secure and increase accountability within our entire community.”

Since 2020, there have been at least five rideshare drivers in the Seattle area killed on the job. Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell has been an advocate for more safety measures for drivers following recent shootings involving passengers and operators.

In 2023, Amare Geda was shot and killed. Police said the homicide suspect was not a rideshare customer but carjacked Geda before shooting him and driving away.

“Following the shooting of driver Mohamed Kediye in South Lake Union, Mayor Harrell signed an Executive Order which directed city departments to adopt culturally, linguistically, and religiously responsive practices and procedures to reduce barriers to victim and family support services for immigrant and refugee communities in the city.” the spokesperson added.

In 2022, 48-year-old Kediye was working for a rideshare company when he was killed, according to the local Drivers Union. Police said life-saving measures were attempted on the victim with a gunshot wound, but he was declared deceased at the scene. In January 2024, an Uber driver was shot and killed by a pedestrian in Edmonds.

Witnesses told police a suspect was on foot and fired at least seven shots. The victim, 31-year-old Abdikadir Gedi Shariif from SeaTac, was taken to Harborview Medical Center in critical condition and later died, according to police.