Florida Uber & Lyft Spring Safety Tips

Rideshares are a convenient alternative to public transportation or the storing, care, and maintenance involved with owning a car. When the weather warms up and the sun comes out in the spring, people return to activities that have them visiting beaches, parks, and outdoor cafes during the day and heading out to nightclubs with friends on balmy evenings. Spring weather also means more people are taking time to travel and using rideshare vehicles to navigate unfamiliar locations. But with the increased traffic on the road since the meteoric rise of rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft, studies show an increase in the overall number of traffic accidents, including those involving Uber and Lyft vehicles. Plus, Miami Uber and Lyft rides have been connected to other incidents, including assaults, theft, and sexual assaults.

Over 99% of Florida rideshare journeys complete without an incident, so as the weather lures you and your friends indoors, don’t be afraid to go out and get busy in the beautiful sunshine and breezy evenings, but minimize your chances of being injured or harmed during your ride by following some important rideshare safety tips for busy spring travel.

Preventing Injuries in Rideshare Accidents

Somehow even those who automatically buckle up the moment they slip behind the wheel of their own car, fail to use a seatbelt when they get into the back of a rideshare vehicle. To minimize your risk of an injury in the event of an accident with your rideshare, always choose the back seat and buckle your seatbelt. Be sure the lap belt sits snugly across your hips and not your abdomen, and remain buckled until the vehicle comes to a full stop. Not only does wearing a seatbelt greatly increase your chances of surviving an accident, but it also increases your rating as a desirable passenger on the rideshare app.

It’s also a good idea to check your driver’s rating on the app. Though both Uber and Lyft deactivate contracts with drivers whose rating fall below a specific level, by choosing a highly rated driver with years of experience, you minimize your chances of being involved in a Florida rideshare accident. 

Minimizing Your Risk of Becoming a Victim During a Rideshare Experience

While assaults and sexual offenses aren’t common experiences during rideshare rides, sadly, they do occur. A qualified Florida Lyft sexual assault attorney at Sharmin & Sharmin P.A. can help navigate your sexual assault case. However, you can minimize your risk of becoming a victim of violent crimes during your rideshare experience by remembering the following important safety tips:

• Ride with friends. Instead of heading out alone, plan to share a rideshare ride with a couple of friends. Not only does this split the cost of the ride, but you’re much less likely to become a victim of a crime if you ride with a group
• Remain indoors until your vehicle arrives. No one looks more like an easy victim than an individual standing alone on a curb with a phone in their hand, clearly waiting for a rideshare. Instead, use the app from a safe location indoors where you can see your meeting location and remain there until your rideshare vehicle appears
• Always tell a trusted friend or family member where you are going before you leave in a rideshare vehicle. Then, have a system in place so that person expects you to check in when you safely arrive at your destination
• Verify the car’s license tag with the one listed on the app before you approach the vehicle, and verify the driver’s ID before you get into the car
• Take extra precautions at night, including remaining indoors in a well-lit area until your pickup, keeping your phone in your hand throughout the trip, and choosing a populated, well-lit destination for your drop-off location.

Take Advantage of in-App Safety Features

Both Uber and Lyft apps have several safety features that you can use to protect yourself throughout the rideshare experience. Before you use your app, take the time to explore the safety features included in the Safety Toolkit so you’re familiar with them. These in-app features include:

• Verify Your Ride: this feature supplies a PIN number you can use to verify your driver
• Share My Trip: this feature allows you to share your progress from pickup to drop-off with a trusted loved one while also sending them critical identifying information about the driver
• Report a Problem: Your app includes this feature to alert Uber or Lyft if you experience an accident or other negative experience during your rideshare
• Emergency Alert Button: this critical feature can alert 911 and share your GPS location with emergency services

Though the vast majority of rideshare trips have uneventful outcomes, by following important safety tips, you can minimize your chances of finding yourself on the wrong side of a statistic. Contact a Miami rideshare accident lawyer today at 1(844)-742-7646 to schedule your free consultation.