How can Uber drivers stay safe while driving
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As an Uber driver, you're constantly on the road and meeting new people, which can bring its own set of risks. Fortunately, there are effective ways to protect yourself and ensure your safety while driving.
Here are some tips to help you keep both yourself and your vehicle safe on the job.
1. Install a dash cam
Having a dash cam to capture live footage of what happens on the road and inside your car can help you in two significant ways:
Riders will be highly motivated to moderate their behaviour if they’re being recorded, reducing the risks of violent speech, inappropriate conduct or any form of abuse.
The dash cam videos can be used as evidence of an accident or incident involving police or your insurance company.
TIP: Choose a dash cam that can shoot video at 1080p on both cameras to provide a clear picture and a camera lens wide enough to capture the whole interior of your car.
If you also drive at night, make sure your dash cam shifts into night mode to capture clear images. It can be useful to download an app that uploads the camera footage into a cloud so you don’t lose the data if the camera is damaged or lost.
IMPORTANT: If you’re a Splend customer, make sure to let your Customer Specialist know before installing a dash cam.
2. Install a plexiglass separator
This measure started gaining popularity during the pandemic when many Uber drivers installed it to reduce the risk of infectious disease transmission. It’s a valuable tool to ensure your safety in other ways too:
It limits the contact between the passenger and the driver, ensuring the driver won’t get attacked or robbed.
It gives a sense of extra safety to the passenger, too, knowing that there is a protection shield between them and the driver.
IMPORTANT: The plexiglass separator must be TfL approved, so make sure to check TfL’s requirements before installing one.
3. Verify your passengers
Be all eyes on who you’re picking up, think twice before accepting a trip and always check the rider’s rating. Someone with a rating below 3 should give you some warning signs, as most Uber drivers will poorly rate their rider for a solid reason.
TIP: Ask for the passenger’s name when picking them up to ensure you get the right person.
The greatest asset you have to defend yourself against possible threats is your intuition. Trust your instinct, and don’t accept a ride if something feels off. If you feel in danger when arriving at the pick-up location, just cancel the ride and head to a safer place.
4. Spread the word to buckle up
Ensure you always wear your seat belt and ask your riders to fasten theirs as well. It’s not only required by the law but also the most effective way to save lives and reduce injuries in case of an accident. Not wearing it could lead up to fines of up to £500.
IMPORTANT: If your riders refuse to fasten their seatbelt, it’s your right to ask them to leave, cancel the ride and report the incident to Uber.
5. Make sure to have a comprehensive car insurance policy
As a rideshare driver, you can opt for third-party PHV insurance that covers only your passengers in case of an accident, or fully comprehensive insurance, covering any scenario that can happen.
Investing more money into your PHV insurance and getting the fully comprehensive one to be protected in case of accidents, fires, thefts and so on is very important.
DID YOU KNOW? Splend’s car subscription plans come with comprehensive rideshare insurance to cover you against any risk.
6. Know your surroundings
Being aware of your surroundings gives you an enhanced sense of safety:
Try to avoid getting too deep into areas you’re not familiar with or have a bad reputation.
Find safe spots to drop your passengers off. Don’t endanger their lives by allowing them to get out of the car in heavy traffic.
Know the local laws about where you can drop off riders to help you when encountering loading zones or parked vehicles.
If you’re in an emergency, keep calm, don’t panic, and use your best judgement.
TIP: If you need urgent help, use the Uber App's emergency button.
About Splend
At Splend, we believe in drivers. We know their vehicles need to work harder than most; that they drive more miles than most; that their insurance is hefty; their maintenance costs high and that they can face unreasonable finance rates – which is a heavy load to carry on their own.
That’s why at Splend, we exist to support rideshare drivers with a new model, that takes all those car ownership costs, and provides them for less, with lower purchase prices, better rates, lower servicing and insurance costs – all for one weekly repayment, all in one place.
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