Senate approves project that allows app drivers to refuse dangerous routes

The Senate Public Security Committee approved on Tuesday, 21, in a final session, the proposal that allows app drivers to refuse to take passengers whose destination or route includes areas flagged by authorities as high crime. The proposal also authorizes transport and navigation applications to issue alerts about dangerous routes. If there is no appeal, the project can go directly to the Chamber of Deputies.

Authored by senator Wilder Morais (PL-GO), PL 1,169/2025 provides for dangerous routes to be identified based on data provided by state public security secretariats.

However, the sending of this information by public bodies will not be mandatory. Furthermore, if the proposal becomes law, the adoption of the alert system will also be optional for transport platforms.

Now, if there is no appeal from the Senate, the project will go to , and finally, will be sanctioned by President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (PT), who will decide whether the measure will be turned into law.

“The option to improve the application is part of the freedom that the manufacturer or service provider has to carry out their economic activity. In any case, we have no doubt that application developers will have a great interest in receiving this information, given that they will be able to provide a differentiated service, with higher quality and, above all, will ensure greater security for users”, highlighted the project’s rapporteur in a session in the first round of voting.

Despite having voted in favor, the senator (PT-ES) also used the first session to express concern about the possible impact of the measure on the most vulnerable and peripheral populations.

“I ride Uber and, sometimes, when you ask for a ride to a certain socially vulnerable location, but also with a high crime rate, the rides are refused,” said the parliamentarian.

In response, the rapporteur argued that the objective of the proposal is to prevent risks, especially in the case of tourists who are unfamiliar with areas with high levels of violence. He also highlighted that drivers, when following routes suggested by apps, often enter regions dominated by crime.

“Unfortunately, we have seen tragic situations in which citizens, often app drivers or tourists, are driven along GPS routes that pass through areas dominated by crime and end up being victims of violence. These deaths could be avoided with information and prevention”, he concluded.

Furthermore, the president of the commission, senator Flávio Bolsonaro (PL-RJ), defended the implementation of the alerts and highlighted that drivers must have the freedom to choose based on the information available.

“If this law came into force this Tuesday, it would not prevent races from being canceled because they pass through risk areas. The Uber driver uses the app, and I think it’s worth having the alert, at least. Then it’s up to him to accept the race or not”, he stated.