Uber, Lyft and other ride-hailing services have grown considerably in recent years. According to a recent survey, nearly 40% of American adults report using ride-hailing apps to book quick trips. Like with any motor vehicle, though, ride-hailing vehicles pose some risk to your personal safety.
While either the driver’s insurer or the company’s provider may pay for the injuries you sustain in a motor vehicle accident, you can take steps to protect yourself every time you book a ride share. Here are three tips to help you accomplish this goal.
1. Use the seat belt
While you always buckle up when you drive your car, you may not think to wear your seat belt when riding in a taxi or ride-hailing vehicle. Still, to boost your odds of surviving a motor vehicle collision, you should reach for the seat belt immediately.
2. Sit in the back
It can be awkward to sit by yourself in the back of someone else’s car. Doing so may save your life, though. In a crash, the back seat is usually safer for passengers than the front one. Moreover, by sitting in the rear of the vehicle, you have a good vantage point to keep an eye on the driver.
3. Move to the middle
Even though sitting in the back of a ride-hailing vehicle is a wise choice, you can do better. Moving to the center of the back seat gives you even more protection.
In a collision, you want to be as far away as possible from the impact point. Placing yourself in the middle of the back seat and wearing your seat belt likely reduces your injury risk substantially.
