The ride-hailing company Uber says it will start requiring passengers to send photos of themselves wearing a face mask if they are flagged by a driver for not wearing one.

"If a driver reports to us that a rider wasn't wearing a mask, the rider will be required to take a selfie with their face covered before they're able to take another trip with Uber," the company said in a statement.

The policy will go into effect with a new app feature rolling out in the United States and Canada by the end of September before being implemented in Latin American and other countries.

Uber called the policy a "a two-way street" of accountability, since drivers are already required to send a photo of their face covered prior to picking up passengers.

For passengers, this means that once you've ordered your ride and can see it coming in the app, you'll also be able to see a confirmation that the driver is wearing a mask.

Uber said that the technology, used to confirm coverings on 3.5 million drivers already, only detects the mask as an object and "does not process biometric information."

If you do need to use car-sharing services, virologists say it's still not a good idea to travel with strangers in the car - if this is an option.

In certain countries, sharing services like Uber and Lyft have stopped offering their more affordable pooled rides, advising that people should travel alone or with household members only.

A protective shield sealing off the front from the back of the car can also be a good sign that the driver is taking the risk of infection seriously.

 - dpa