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Safety tips when requesting, riding or having a cab

Oct 5, 2022

So, are you thinking about offering cab services, working for a cab company or simply requesting a ride? Your safety is vital as you are constantly dealing with strangers from all over. Here are some safety tips you need to keep in mind.

 

As a driver…

1. Be keen with your pick up locations

It’s advisable to stay away from places where you might not feel safe and this could possibly be an area with a known history of crime and violence. it’s best to stay away if you undoubtedly don’t feel safe about being there. Plus, having a very reliable navigation app/ system will keep you from getting lost in unfamiliar areas.

 

2. Be time conscious

Typically, between 9:00 PM and 5:00 AM, conditions usually become less secure. You are less likely to encounter someone who is intoxicated or acting suspiciously while driving during the day. It’s quite important to put a strategy in place for what to do if you don’t feel comfortable, if you must drive during these times. Keep someone on call to respond if you need them, stay away from dangerous areas, and overall go with your gut.

 

3. Check & provide detailed ratings

Take a few seconds to view the rider’s ratings after getting a request. You can use this to confirm that the rider and driver have a good history. A less than 4-star rating should be considered a cause for concern. Furthermore, providing specific ratings is another way to ensure safety, particularly the safety of other drivers. You benefit from the ratings provided by others, and you want to ensure that other drivers and riders gain as well from your ratings.

Don’t be afraid to review a rider honestly if you have any reason to feel unsafe or even uneasy while on it. This provides the rider with a warning, you safeguard other motorists, and you help in making that rider’s deactivation more likely if their behavior doesn’t change.

 

4. Beware & plan for drunk riders

Generally, being unable to drive yourself is one of the reasons people use Uber and Bolt among other services, and being intoxicated qualifies as one of those reasons most definitely. Always keep in mind that this will frequently be more of a hassle than anything else. Quite often, the biggest threat to you is possibly having vomit in your car. For that, apart from providing passengers with drinks and chargers, you can also consider keeping some vomit bags on hand as well, since anything can happen in such moments.

Furthermore, feel free to cancel if a passenger’s drunkenness seems dangerous in any way. If you’re picking up someone and they make any inappropriate comments, there is no need to let them in. However, if they simply seem too drunk to get themselves home, you just may need to put up with a few uncomfortable minutes.

 

5. Make the bold move to cancel a ride

Debating on whether to cancel a rider or not especially at the beginning is understandable. You definitely want positive reviews and don’t want to be removed from the platform for canceling regularly. However, there is an ideal time to cancel, especially when you feel uncomfortable in any way when you arrive to pick up a rider. Keep in mind that you will be able to provide an explanation for why you canceled the trip, and your safety comes first in such situations.

 

6. Round others in

One of the best ways to stay safe while driving is getting your friends in on your safety. Ensure someone always knows you are on duty. Send a quick text letting them know you’ll be driving for the next several hours. Check in between rides and have someone who is waiting for you to check in and will reach out if they don’t hear from you.

 

7. Ensure your insurance is valid

It can be a menace when you pick up a rider and later on get pulled over due to lack of or expired Motor Insurance. This can lead to poor reviews from riders and affect your ratings which ultimately is bad for business. Be smart and know how to renew your motor insurance and in case you are beginning, you can at least buy your Third-Party Only Insurance which is mandatory by law, all on the mTek app.

 

As a passenger…

1. Make your request inside

Reduce the time you spend on your phone when you’re alone outside. Instead, wait inside until the app indicates that your driver has arrived.

 

2. Check your ride

Always remember to check the license plate, car make and model, and driver photo against what is listed in your app before every trip starts to ensure they all match. Never get in a car when any of this info does not match what is displayed in your app because the trips can only be ordered through the app.

 

3. Put on your seat-belt

Statistics from the World Health Organization indicate that using a seat belt is the most efficient approach to prevent fatalities and lessen injuries when involved in an accident. Let’s be wise about it shall we?

 

4. Request the driver to verify your name

Do this before getting in the car. Both you & the driver’s first names are displayed on the app. To introduce yourself safely you can ask the driver “Who are you here to pick up?” and the driver could additionally request your confirmation of their name as well.

 

5. ‘Back left’ seat can come in quite handy

Always sit in the back seat whenever possible, especially if you’re traveling alone. This gives you and your driver some privacy as well as ensuring that you may safely exit the vehicle in order to avoid moving traffic.

 

6. Share your trip with close/relevant people/friends

To share your trip’s details, simply click on the Share trip status functionality in the app. An ETA and travel tracking notification will be sent to them.

 

7. Safeguard your personal information

Don’t give out information on your personal matters or even passwords to say the least. It’s okay to make small talk with the driver but it’s also perfectly fine to have a quiet trip.

 

8. Trust your gut

When requesting a ride, trust your intuition & exercise caution. If you feel unsafe at any point, you can end the trip or contact emergency services.

 

9. Stay kind and respectful

Be mindful and respectful to your driver and fellow passengers. Refrain from using foul language, prying into people’s private spaces or littering within the car during the trip..

 

10. Give honest and detailed reviews

You’re always prompted to rate your experience in the app after each trip. Your feedback helps in keeping everyone informed. You can as well notify the cab company if you ever notice a safety problem while riding, which will also help other passengers make better decisions when requesting a ride.

 

#besmartwithus

 

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