Safety tips for Uber and Lyft drivers

How do you stay safe on the road? I’ve covered safety issues in the past, but I thought I’d bring in a new perspective on safety. Kon from RideShare Tips made a video all about safety, and it has some solid advice.

Watch Kon’s video, and read the transcript to see all the points he covers. Do you agree with his tips? Leave a comment and let us know!

 

Hey, what’s up, guys? It’s Kon here with RideShare Tips. In light of the recent Uber attack videos that have surfaced the Internet, I figured it’s about time I’ll do a video that covers some safety tips for us Uber and Lyft drivers.

Now, I’ve been an active driver for quite some time now, and I have yet to experience a really bad trip. The odds are definitely in our favor as a driver. It’s very rare that something like this will happen to you. However, there are a couple of simple tips that’ll help you feel safer while you’re out there Ubering.

Look at your passenger’s ratings

Tip number one that I have for you guys, is look at the passenger’s ratings. If the rating is low, you don’t have to accept it. If previous drivers don’t like something that this passenger did, or if they just have a bad vibe about them, they’re going to give them a bad rating, and that’s a warning sign for you as the driver.

Typically, if you want to feel safe, don’t accept a ride that’s anything under a 4.7. The lowest rating I ever picked up, was a 4.3. I picked him up, and honestly, he was a pretty cool guy, so I don’t know why his rating was so low.

Get a dash cam

Tip number two I have for you guys, is to get a dashboard camera. Guys, if you’re really concerned, I would definitely recommend getting a dashboard camera. One that records the inside of your car and the outside of your car simultaneously. As a passenger, getting into the car and seeing a dashboard cam, knowing that you’re going to be recorded, you’re definitely not going to try to mug your driver.

Even if it’s not recording. Even if the camera’s just hanging there, the passenger’s not going to want to do anything stupid.

Have protection

Tip number three, is to have a weapon on you. Whether it’s pepper spray, a taser, a pocket knife, , have something in your door panel or within arm’s reach. Some people have licenses to carry. Use your Second Amendment Right!

Seriously, guys. You never know what the passenger is carrying their pockets, or their bags, so it’s always nice to have something there as a backup plan, in case fighting him off with your bare arms isn’t going to work out.

Harry’s note: I don’t personally carry any type of weapon, and Uber prohibits drivers from carrying firearms. Check Uber’s policy, and check your local state law.

Ask you passengers to wear a seatbelt

Tip number four: Even if you don’t feel threatened, I would recommend that you ask every one of your passengers to buckle up. This I going to restrict their reach. Because they’re going to have their seatbelt on, that’s going to restrict their movement. When they go in to choke you, or punch you, or however they want to assault you, their going to be limited to how much they can move. When the passenger gets in the car, ask them politely, “Hey, do you mind putting on your seatbelt?”

If you do happen to hear them taking their seatbelt off, bang, that’s a red flag. Be a little bit cautious here. Also, it’s the law, so make them do it either way.

Adjust your rear-view mirror to keep your passenger in sight

Having said that, tip number five is going to be, adjust your rear-view mirror. You want to make sure they’re wearing their seatbelt, and you want to keep an eye on them at all times, especially if you have a bad feeling about them. If something is shady about them, you want to be able to see them at all times.

If they unbuckle their seatbelt, if they start reaching into their bag, or into their pocket, make sure that you’re rear-view mirror is aligned correctly so that you can see everything that they’re doing back there.

In case they do pull something on you, you’re going to have the heads-up. It’s not going to be a sneak-attack. You’re going to see what’s going on back there, before it happens.

Avoid night driving

My last tip for you guys, is to not drive late at night. That’s when bad things happen. When the bars are closing, it’s 2 am, everybody’s drunk getting an Uber and a Lyft home, they’re not in the right state-of-mind. I would not recommend driving past 2 am, unless that’s something you want to do. I know there’s high surges when the bars are closing, but do you really want to risk damage to your car and to yourself, just to get a couple extra bucks? I personally don’t. I don’t drive late at night, and I wouldn’t recommend it for you, if you’re concerned about your safety.

That’s it guys. Those are my top safety tips. I wouldn’t worry about it if I were you. It’s like hitting the lottery, chances are it’s not going to happen to you.

If you like this video, please like, comment, subscribe. Until next time guys, drive safe, buckle up, make sure your passengers buckle up, and I’ll see you out there on the road.