Is Uber Safe In Miami? (What To Know To Be Extra Safe)

Figuring Out The Transportation Details For A Trip To South Florida, But Wondering Whether Or Not Uber Is Safe In The Miami Area?

Despite living in the South Florida area (I was near West Palm Beach), I used a few different forms of transportation when taking day trips down to the Fort Lauderdale and Miami areas, and while Uber can be a perfectly safe option in Miami, there are some important things riders should know about past safety issues, some tips to help you avoid those issues, and a few better alternatives to consider for certain situations.

⛑ Is Uber Safe In Miami?

Since it's such a large metropolitan city, it's important to be cautious and aware.

When normal safety precautions are taken, Uber in Miami is generally pretty safe, but past problems have included issues with traffic safety, solo riders (especially females), fake Ubers, and traveling during certain times of the year.

Miami feels more like a foreign Latin city and although I love Miami and Latin America, when it comes to safety, it is necessary to be more proactive and cautious here.

ℹ️ Tips To Help Make Uber Extra Safe In Miami

These tips will help you make Uber extra safe in Miami.

Outside of traffic safety, most of the past issues with Uber in Miami have been crimes of opportunity, so there are a number of things you can do to help reduce your risk of running into any problems:

1. Wear Your Seatbelt

Florida is bad when it comes to accidents and reckless driving. I constantly saw drivers doing things like running red lights, going 40-60 mph over the speed limit, turning left in front of oncoming traffic, or stopping in the middle of the street for no apparent reason.

Uber drivers are just as reckless, so even if you’re only going a short distance, always wear your seatbelt in Florida, especially on highways.

2. Don’t Ride Drunk Or Incapacitated

Especially during the busy seasons (winter and spring break), problems or actual crimes have occurred when intoxicated passengers (specifically females) use ride-shares. Don’t get in an Uber if you can’t be aware and defend yourself.

3. Don’t Fall Asleep In The Uber

Incidents like this have occurred in Miami to some passengers when they fall asleep in the Uber, so be super safe and stay awake and aware (especially for solo or female riders).

4. Triple Check Names And License Plates

Other crimes have been committed in Miami when criminals pretend to be Uber drivers and riders accidentally get in without checking the info in their app.

Florida cars only have rear license plates so step around back to confirm the plate and ask the driver their name, so you make them give you the correct answer.

Since there have been past incidents, its important to use these tips to help you be as safe as possible.

5. Share Your Ride

Especially when riding alone, share your ride in the app with someone back home so they can keep track and watch where the Uber goes.

6. Follow Your Ride

This usually isn’t a problem in Miami, but it’s always good to follow the ride in the app to make sure the driver isn’t taking you the “long way” (there’s lots of traffic in Miami so they could also be trying to find a faster route).

7. Make Sure Your Ride Ended

In other cities, I’ve had ride-share drivers keep the ride going so they keep making money, but luckily it’s an easy fix by paying attention and emailing Uber if it does ever happen.

8. Don’t Wait Alone

Miami is usually fairly safe for tourists that are aware and cautious, but it’s a large city that can be dangerous, so don’t isolate yourself from crowds or well-lit areas when waiting on your Uber.

⭐️ Other Safe Transportation Options In Miami

Uber isn’t always the best option for a trip to Miami since South Florida is fairly spread out and the cost of Uber rides can add up quickly, so consider some of these other safe transportation alternatives:

Driving Yourself

I think the best way to get around South Florida is to drive yourself.

Driving yourself in Miami is really the best way to get around and to be able to explore more, especially if you plan to visit other nearby areas like Palm Beach County, Orlando, Jupiter, Venice Beach, Key West, etc., but there are a few downsides to driving yourself:

Rainy Weather
Expensive & Limited Parking
Chaotic & Dangerous Driving
Lots Of Ignored Traffic Rules
Lots Of High Speed Drivers
Lots Of Traffic (in the cities)
Not A Good Option For Timid Or Nervous Drivers

Guided Tours

The Everglades are definitely worth a visit on a trip to Miami.

The most convenient and typically economical way to explore the Miami area without a car would definitely be on guided tours since they often combine multiple locations, whereas an Uber would cost quite a bit to visit each individual location.

Some Popular Miami Tours Include:

an Everglades Airboat Tour from Miami
an Everglades Airboat & Hiking Tour from Miami
a Key West Day Trip from Miami
a Wynwood Walls Graffiti Golf Cart Tour in Miami
an Art Deco Walking Tour in Miami
a Speed Boat Tour in Miami
a Little Havana Tour in Miami

*️⃣ Tip: the Everglades airboat rides can be a bit touristy, but this unique natural area is definitely worth a visit at least once for nature and outdoor lovers

Private Transportation

Although you can get an Uber from the airport in Miami or Fort Lauderdale, for those traveling with a group or just wanting someone waiting on them with a name card, a private transfer is a safe and convenient option.

➡️ For a private Fort Lauderdale airport transfer, I recommend My Travels & Tours

➡️ For a private Miami airport transfer, I recommend Miami Vip Limo & Car Service

Taxis

Taxi companies are generally very safe in the US, but they’re sometimes a less desirable form of transportation (over Uber) in Miami, Florida because:

The cars are usually older and more beat up
The cost isn’t known ahead of time
It usually costs more than Uber
There’s no way to share the trip or follow the route in an app (like Ubers)

The Metro

Miami has three metro/train options to use within the city, as well as travel between certain cities. They’re generally safe, but you should still be aware and cautious when riding on them, especially when they’re crowded.

Aboveground Metro Rail: two lines that run around Miami, but not out to the Miami Beaches, and while they’re cheap and safe, they’re also slow and crowded at rush hour (or during special events)
Tri Rail: connects Miami to multiple South Florida cities and runs from the Miami airport to the West Palm Beach Airport and Magnolia Park Station
Brightline: also connects Miami to other cities, even all the way up to Orlando (easy Disney World access!)

🤑 Are Ubers Expensive In Miami?

Pretty much everything in Miami, including transportation, is expensive.

Ubers, as with pretty much everything else in Miami, can get quite expensive, but they are still more reasonable than taxis. Here are some average Uber prices in the Miami area (depending on the type of Uber you want):

Uber from the Miami Airport to South Beach = $28-70
Uber from the Miami to Fort Lauderdale = $55-116
Uber from the Miami Airport to West Palm Beach = $88-160
Uber from Fort Lauderdale to West Palm Beach = $67-130
Uber from Brickell to South Beach = $23-40
Uber from Miami to the Everglades = $46-95
Uber from Fort Lauderdale to the Everglades = $38-94
Uber from Fort Lauderdale to Key West = $275-570

🔁 Sum Up: Is Uber Safe In Miami?

Despite a few past safety issues with Uber in the Miami area (mostly crimes of opportunity), a cautious and aware traveler should find using it to explore this large metropolis, a safe transportation option. To go longer distances or for more unique experiences, consider driving yourself or taking a metro train or a fun guided tour of the area.