Rideshare Companies, Service and Safety

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Rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft are constantly under investigation for numerous allegations; ranging from sexual assault and harassment, to rape and verbal abuse from the drivers. There are national concerns that rideshare companies aren't doing enough to keep their customers safe. After numerous lawsuits, these particular companies are under a lot of pressure to perform stronger driver background checks and adopt better security checks to protect passengers.

Numerous complaints say that Uber and Lyft failed to routinely perform background checks on drivers and failed to monitor drivers for inappropriate conduct after they were hired. In the past few years, Uber Accident Attorneys have seen many personal injury claims and civil lawsuits filed by passengers across the country. Although recent safety changes have been made, law officials are recommending fingerprint-based background checks, vedio, and/or audio recordings of rides, and an option for women to request a female driver.

Even though we rely on the experts to keep us safe when it comes to Rideshare, there are also many things we as passengers can do to ensure our own safety. So here's 14 best Uber and Lyft safety tips:

1. Wait for your ride in a safe place- Since the apps will tell you exactly where your driver is, you only need to go out and meet them at the last possible minute. Request your ride while your still indoors and stay in a well lit area.

2. Always ask, "What's my name?"- Never get into an Uber, Lyft, or any other rideshare car unless the driver can first identify your name!

3. Verify the car and driver- Match the make, model, and license plate of the car to what's listed in the app. Make sure the profile photo matches the personal appearance of the driver.

4. Don't ride alone!- This is probably the most important piece of advice. If you can share a ride with a friend, do it. Remember, there is strength in numbers!

5. Use trip-sharing features- Both Uber and Lyft have in-app trip sharing features that allow you to share live updates on your trip with rusted friends. Just simply hit, "Share trip status" or "Share route."

6. Consider more personal safety technology- Other apps and devices can add more layers of protection. iwitness for example; it turns your phone into a mini security system.

7.Let the driver know that the trip is being tracked- People are more likely to commit crimes when they know they're not being watched. So let the driver know that the trip is being tracked, and someone out there is watching.

8. Choose your seat wisley- Uber actually advises you that it's better to sit in the back seat of the car because it creates two possible exits. Also, sitting in the front passenger seat with the driver allows you to keep your eye on the driver and the road.

9. Make sure your driver follows the rules of the road- Simply reminding the driver to proceed safely and carefully before the ride starts can make a big difference.

10. You need to follow the rules too!- Simply put, be a good passenger. Wear your seatbelt, don't distract the driver or ask them to do anything dangerous.

11.Don't share personal information-  If you need to communicate with the driver, you can do so via the app without giving out your contact information.

12. Trust your gut- If anything seems "off" about the driver, car, route, or anything else, speak up!

13. Be aware of traffic when entering and exiting the vehicle- Be cognisant of nearby traffic. Wait until the car stops in a safe spot before entering and exiting.

14. And finally, give feedback about your trip and driver- If you felt uneasy by anything that happened  during your ride, don;t hesitate to report it!


COMMENT BELOW: Your best (or worst) Uber and/or Lyft experience


DISCLAIMER: Some of the information on this post can be found at the sites below

https://ankinlaw.com/rideshare-services-safety/\

https://www.safety.com/rideshare-safety-tips/


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