How to stay safe when using a rideshare service:

How to stay safe when using a rideshare service: Understand the risks of your trip

Rides offered by rideshare companies such as Uber have become increasingly popular over the last few years. Rideshare companies have been learning from their experiences and improving their services in terms of safety. Even one safety incident, however insignificant it may be, is one too many for a rider using rideshare services. The endeavor is on to reduce the incidence of safety issues year on year. If the number of new safety features introduced is any guide then rideshare companies are taking the safety of their riders very seriously. 

There is no definitive study on transportation safety apart from the one done by Uber. Uber uses its own data to study the most serious safety incidents such as traffic fatalities, fatal physical assaults, and sexual assaults reported on its ridesharing platform in 2017 and 2018. 

Uber’s safety features 

Based on the finding of the study, Uber has incorporated many safety features by employing technology extensively. The wide range of safety features incorporated include

• A specially trained support team is available 24/7 and they can be reached on the app anytime of the day or night
• Riders and drivers form the backbone of the safety net by sharing community guidelines
• 2-way rating encourages rider and driver rating each other
• Bad drivers and bad riders can lose access to Uber due to poor rating   
• Trip details can be shared with your people who can track you during your ride. You can create a pool of Trusted Contacts with whom you can share details   
• Drivers are background checked before joining and every year thereafter
• A safety tool button on the app is just a push away
• An emergency button on the app displays your location and trip details that get shared with authorities
• GPS tracking on all rides
• Phone numbers are made anonymous on the app
• All rides are under insurance cover
• You can cross check your ride displayed on the app by verifying the license plate number, car make and model and the driver’s photo

Rider’s safety precautions

While Uber does its part by providing safety features you must take safety precautions on your own. The safety precautions that you take should include

• Understanding Uber’s various safety features
• Familiarizing with the features on the app
• Share your trip with Trusted Contacts
• Do not share your personal details with the driver or other riders 
• If traveling alone, sit in the back and always fasten your seat belt 
• Strengthen Community Guidelines by sharing feedback after each ride
• In an emergency use the emergency button on the app
• Use the safety tool kit whenever needed
• Ascertain the driver and vehicle are the same as displayed on the app and you can double check by asking the driver to say out your name (it appears on the driver’s app)
• Continue to keep the app in GPS mode so that you can track your ride
• Don’t wait for your ride out on the road. Track on your app and after the car has arrived you can verify the license plate and then show yourself to the driver 
• Do not pay cash. You can add tip on the app

In case of an accident, you should notify Uber. If you, the driver and other riders are hurt call 911. If you are injured, it is important to get a qualified lawyer that has experience in dealing with Uber accidents and claims, according to Jonathan Rosenfeld.

According to Uber’s study the risks are as follows:

• The Uber-related motor vehicle fatality rate for 2017 was 0.59 fatalities per 100 million vehicle miles traveled; it was 0.57 fatalities per 100 million miles traveled in 2018. For both years, the Uber data is about half of the national rates 
• Fatal physical assault was reported to occur in about 1 in every 122,000,000 US trips, or approximately 0.000001% of US trips

Remember that despite all the safety features and precautions there is still a very miniscule element of risk involved in taking a ride offered by a rideshare company. By heeding Uber’s safety exhortations and taking your own safety precautions you can have a safe and secure ride.

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