Lyft to roll out rider verification badges in safety push

(Reuters) - Lyft is rolling out, among other features, verification badges for riders in a bid to improve safety on the ride-hailing platform, the company said on Tuesday.

Rival Uber Technologies had started rolling out similar features two months ago and provided drivers with the option to record trips on their smartphones instead of a dashcam.

Along with the rider verification program, drivers will be given a new ride-accept screen with more information such as name, rating, phone and verification badge of passengers, Lyft said.

In certain markets, drivers will also receive safety alerts if their route passes through traffic enforcement or school zones, Lyft added.

The company said its new dashcam registration process will be easier and Lyft will notify riders before entering the vehicle that they may be recorded.

Lyft also said it will introduce a new feature which will allow drivers to find, rate and add restrooms. Drivers can also report traffic conditions and hazards, enabling real-time map alerts to increase route efficiency and safety.

(Reporting by Akash Sriram in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri)