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October 26, 2022
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10 Safety Tips When Riding Uber/Lyft

 

The ride-sharing industry has revolutionized transportation. With a few button presses, you can now arrange a ride on-demand. However, there are also disadvantages to the ride-sharing industry, such as the hazards associated with the lack of comprehensive background checks on drivers. It requires some care on your side as a rider to stay secure in an Uber or Lyft.

1.      Do Not Give Away Personal Information

Your driver does not need to know your entire name, address, or any other sensitive information. Both Uber and Lyft utilize technologies that protect your personal information. Your mobile number won’t display even if you think of calling your driver they arrive. Drivers can accept your call but cannot see your phone number.

Another smart move is to keep your homecoming from the driver a secret. Nobody outside your immediate family should know where you live. Offer a different address from your actual address that is a block or two away if you want to be safe. This is especially true if your driver is acting strangely or asking too many questions. Always report strange activity to Lyft or Uber right away. The same motorist who caused you discomfort might later endanger another passenger. Help prevent it by doing your part.

2.      Track Your Trip

Understand your surroundings and the best path to take to get to your destination. If the vehicle starts to go down a road you are not familiar with, let the driver know you are concerned. If the driver is not taking the proper route, demand that they stop and let you off if necessary.

3.      Stay Alert

Avoid becoming too drunk to take an Uber or Lyft and falling asleep in the car. Watch out for warning indications, such as the driver picking up someone else when you didn’t request a shared trip or taking the wrong route. Keep an eye out for inattentive driving as well.

Lastly, keep your phone on the dial page and in your hand. To contact 911 at any time, be prepared. Being prepared to dial 911 will guarantee that the police will arrive as soon as possible regardless of whether you are in an accident or the motorist gives you cause for concern. Keep your thumb on the call button and softly dial 911 if you start to feel uneasy.

4.      Request Your Ride From A Safe Place

You don’t want to stay outside while waiting for an Uber, Lyft, taxi, buddy, or other means of transportation. Find a location that is well-lit, preferably a busy one. Anyone who would wish to hurt you will therefore undoubtedly stop. Anyone with hostility would most likely refrain from any attempt if they knew that several witnesses had seen you enter their car.

5.      Check Their Reviews To Make Sure They’re A Safe Driver

The mobile applications for Uber and Lyft both make it simple to check out the driver who will be picking you up. Reviews are given to all drivers (and passengers, for that matter), ranging from 1 to 5. You should cancel the trip and go for someone else if something doesn’t seem right to you, whether it be the car, the driver’s looks, or anything else. Each rideshare service says that it deactivates drivers who frequently receive negative ratings.

Pay great attention to how safely the driver of the car is operating it when reading reports. When it becomes cold out, it may be quite difficult to drive on Minnesota roads. Having to deal with a motorist who can’t handle ice or snow will be the last thing you need.

6.      Don’t ride impaired

Ridesharing is a fantastic method to avoid drinking and driving, but whether you’re intoxicated, euphoric, or exhausted, traveling while impaired might leave you more exposed to attack. Improper automobile boarding is also more common.

Help your somewhat inebriated pals check the app to make sure they are getting into the appropriate car, Ms. Lockhart said if you are accompanying them. “Taking our friends’ safety seriously ought to be the standard,” she said, adding that just because you put someone in a car doesn’t guarantee they’ll arrive home safely.  Always keep in touch with them.

7.      Know How to Report an Accident

Naturally, we hope that you never get into a car accident, whether it includes a ridesharing service or not. However, if that does occur and you are wounded as a result, you will very certainly be claiming the reckless driver. The Uber or Lyft driver that picked you up maybe that person.

You’ll need to demonstrate that the driver is to blame for your injuries to obtain the funds you require to cover your medical expenses and to make up for the earnings you missed due to your time away from work. You won’t have a chance to win your case if you don’t have concrete proof.

Using your smartphone, document the site of the accident as one of the first things you should do if you are in one. In case you or anybody else has been gravely harmed, call the police and emergency medical services. A police report will be written by an officer, and that report might contain significant evidence.

You’ll also need to talk to a lawyer. A capable legal attorney will search for additional pieces of evidence, such as video from potential eyewitness surveillance cameras located nearby.

8.      Best place to sit? In the back seat

If you’re the lone passenger, choose the rear seat on the passenger side. If necessary, you have access to both doors. Furthermore, in an empty car, you should not sit immediately behind the driver. Consider their safety and comfort as well. Would you want a stranger in the back seat of your car?

While neither Uber nor Lyft has strict seating policies, most customers do not sit at the front. It’s a matter of taste. However, if anything appears to be “odd,” you have the right to terminate the ride. Drivers may request that you sit in the front seat when there are no other passengers, or the driver may have a buddy in the car with them, which violates both Uber and Lyft driver regulations. Remember, your safety comes first, not insulting the driver.

9.      Do your part to promote safety.

Always enter and exit your ridesharing car when it is safe to do so and when it is at the curb. Before you open the door, look for pedestrians, bikers, and scooters. Also, don’t push drivers to do risky or unlawful maneuvers to get someplace faster.

Lyft and Uber have changed transportation. Every day, they deliver millions of safe rides to consumers. However, if you are in an accident with a ridesharing car, know that The Dominguez Firm is here to assist you. Our skilled ridesharing accident attorneys understand how to handle every facet of a complicated rideshare accident claim.

10.  Check Your Ride

Always double-check the make and type of the vehicle from which you requested a ride. The Uber app displays the driver’s photo, the car’s license plate number, and the brand and type of vehicle. Never get into a car when the vehicle or driver’s identity does not match what is mentioned in the app.

Conclusion

 

As a person who have no car, we used to call a taxi service. While that option is still available, things have changed. Using ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft appears to be commonplace nowadays. While these services have made traveling more convenient, have you ever considered the risks? Always be cautious and observant as an Uber or Lyft rider.

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