Uber will start doing annual criminal background checks on U.S. drivers and hire a company that constantly monitors criminal arrests as it tries to do a better job of keeping riders safe.

The move announced Thursday is one of several actions taken by the ride-hailing company under new CEO Dara Khosrowshahi (Cause-row-SHA-hee). He says the changes aren’t being done just to polish the company’s image, which has been tarnished by driver misbehavior and a long string of other embarrassing missteps.

Other safety features include buttons in the Uber app that allow riders to call 911 in an emergency, as well as app refinements that make it easier for riders to share their whereabouts with friends or loved ones.

(Associated Press, copyright 2018)