8 Rideshare Safety Tips Everyone Needs to Know

Mon Apr 22, 2019 11:51 am Training Comments Off on 8 Rideshare Safety Tips Everyone Needs to Know

Ridesharing is one of the most convenient new ways for people to get around if they need a ride. However, recent incidents have put riders in danger. Calling an Uber or a Lyft can be a responsible decision, especially if you’ve been drinking, but you’re still essentially getting a ride from a stranger. Consider these rideshare safety tips every Lyft or Uber rider should know.

  1. Wait Inside

For your own safety, make sure you call and wait for your ride inside—especially during the winter months. The Uber and Lyft apps give you an ETA for your ride, so you’ll know when to go outside. The apps will also send alerts to your phone when your ride arrives, and drivers can call or text you.

  1. Check the Driver’s Rating

Before you get into the car, check the driver’s rating. It should show up as you order, along with other important information. Lyft suggests you aim for a rating of 4.8 or higher, while a 4.7 is considered a good Uber rating.

  1. Confirm the Details

Another rideshare safety tip is to confirm some crucial details before you enter the car. Your ridesharing app should give you information about the driver such as a name, a picture of the driver, the type of car, and a license plate number after you order it. Ask them who the ride is for or let them ask for your name first—they should know your name.

  1. Share Your Trip or Go with a Group

If possible, try to share the details of your trip with other people or ride with a group of people you know. This will make your trip cheaper, and a group will outnumber a driver who could be a potential threat. Going with other people also makes the trip more comforting.

  1. Ride in the Back Seat

If you have to take a Lyft or Uber alone, sit in the back seat. You’ll have more personal space as well as more space between you and the driver, so you can exit the vehicle more quickly and easily if necessary.

  1. Use Your Own GPS

If you’re not familiar with the area, use a GPS on your phone to make sure your driver is taking you to the right location. You can also glance at driver’s GPS displayed in the car to match it up with yours if you feel you’re not going in the right direction.

  1. Don’t Share Personal Information

During the trip, it’s normal to make some small talk instead of sitting in awkward silence. However, you don’t want to share personal information with your driver—be especially wary of this if you’ve been drinking.

  1. Give Honest Feedback

When you arrive at your destination, the app will prompt you to give the driver a rating and sometimes a tip. Be honest with your feedback—don’t just give five stars to make yourself look good. Ridesharing apps also give let you pick from lists of issues you may have experienced. Honest feedback helps the driver and future riders, which could be you.

 1 MORE EXTRA TIP … 

Check the website, Facebook, and Twitter sources of any large venue that you might be attending via a ridesharing service. Look for specific official details published by the venue that offer information about specific drop-off or pick-up locations or specific safety tips about the area.

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