(NewsNation) — Thousands of sexual assault cases have been reported by drivers and passengers using ridesharing apps Uber and Lyft since 2017, many of those cases involving women.

The staggering numbers, which show 3,824 assaults reported by Uber since 2019 and 4,158 on Lyft since 2017, led one Atlanta woman to launch her own ride sharing app, designed with the safety of woman and children in mind.

A former Lyft driver herself, Jillian Anderson created the ride sharing service “HERide” this year, featuring only female drivers. She said the company conducts a different form of background check than Uber and Lyft and takes other measures to ensure safety.

“We have in-person vehicle inspections and so we use that opportunity to meet the driver in-person, make sure they’re the person they say they are and also get the opportunity to show them we are a real company,” Anderson said. “It validates us as a company and answers any questions or concerns that driver or applicant may have.”

Anderson said it has not been difficult competing for drivers with other ride sharing apps.

“The biggest hurdle that we have to get over is that we have an extended onboarding process. Our onboarding process is longer than all the other companies so getting applicants assimilated to that process is the hardest thing we have to get over,” Anderson said.

Her biggest pieces of advice to anyone taking a rideshare is to always make sure to tell family or friends you are taking one, and to validate vehicles and license plate numbers, as well as driver names.

HERide is currently available only in Atlanta, but Anderson hopes to expand it to more cities.