Month: July 2021

Register your dashcam with Uber, yes or no?

Drivers recently received an email asking them to register their dash cameras with Uber. Some drivers are hesitant to do so. However, there are a lot of advantages if you do.

From Uber – “Notification to your riders – By registering your dashcam, your riders will be automatically notified that they may be recorded before they enter your vehicle, helping you follow local surveillance laws, and to encourage riders to treat you and your car with respect.” This is great because many states require you to notify passengers that they may be recorded. It is still good to have some kind signage in your car as an additional reminder that they are being watched.

From Uber – “Easy video upload to report issues – With a registered dashcam, you will see a new option to upload and share the recordings with Uber support, when you report a trip issue in the Help section of your app. To access the video upload functionality you will need to update to the newest version of the Uber app.” Many drivers had struggled with this in the past. Being able to upload a video to Uber efficiently is a great benefit. Getting that video to Uber quickly could help to prevent driver deactivations resulting from false rider claims.

From Uber – “Don’t worry, you’re in control of your video. Uber’s support team can only watch or listen to your dashcam recordings if you choose to share them. But we encourage you to share a video if you ever need to report a safety incident, as it will help Uber take the appropriate action.” This detail should be a given.

Dashcam options – If you haven’t purchased a dashcam, it really is a great way to protect yourself. Not only does it help with rider issues, it can also be the evidence you need to show you were not at fault in a car crash. Check out this previous blog post on some great dashcam options – What do you look for when buying a dash camera for rideshare?

There are so many reasons to say YES to dashcams and registering them with Uber!

Unaccompanied minors in your car, what you need to know!

Being a rideshare driver comes with many hazards like drunk drivers and riders, car crashes and more. One hazard not often mentioned is unaccompanied minors requesting a ride.

Neither Uber or Lyft permit minors to ride alone. Below are the policies for both.

Uber says, “A rider must be at least 18 years of age to have an Uber account and request rides. Anyone under 18 must be accompanied by someone 18 years of age or older on any ride.” Uber also says. “As a driver-partner, you should decline the ride request if you believe the person requesting the ride is under 18. When picking up riders, if you feel they are underage, you may request they provide a driver’s license or ID card for confirmation. If a rider is underage, please do not start the trip or allow them to ride.”

Whereas Lyft says, “Unaccompanied minors are prohibited from traveling with most carriers, including TNCs. A passenger must be 18 to sign up for a Lyft account, but if a driver believes a passenger might be underage, the driver may ask the passenger to confirm their age.” Lyft also adds, “The driver may also let a passenger know that the driver will have to cancel the trip if the passenger is indeed under 18. In addition, drivers can report requests to transport unaccompanied minors by tapping ‘Contact Support’ below.”

If it is obvious that the passenger(s) who you are about to pick up are minors, you should definitely cancel. Do not hesitate to ask for an id if you are unsure but do it in a friendly manner. I like to say, “You guys look pretty young, who has an id to show me they are at least 18? This is for your protection as well as mine.”

Since you are the adult, it is up to you to verify their age. When in doubt it is best to cancel!

Rideshare drivers, protecting yourself after a car crash

For rideshare drivers, your car is your money maker. Getting into an accident – whether you are at fault or not – is traumatic and costly. The moments following the accident are extremely important in protecting yourself, determining fault, and providing speedy return to the road. But what exactly should you do?

The very first thing is to make sure everyone is okay and no one requires immediate medical attention. If someone is injured, call 911. Furthermore, you will need to let Uber or Lyft know about the accident through the app but this does not need to happen right away.

According to the law firm Ury and Moskow, LLC., there are 10 steps to follow:

Do not drive away, but do drive out of the flow of traffic if possible.
Protect the scene – flares and hazard lights if you have them.
Call the police – whether there are serious injuries or not.
Make an accurate record of what happened, whether it is with the officer or on your own.
Take a lot of pictures or video of the damage and the accident location from multiple directions
Exchange information. This should include taking a photo of driver’s license, car insurance details, and contact information for all drivers, passengers as well as any witnesses.
Promptly report the accident to your insurance company.
Seek medical attention even if your injuries aren’t apparent.
Keep excellent records of the event.
Contact an attorney as needed.

Generally speaking, you do not want to accept fault or place blame while at the scene and when everyone is still reeling from the incident. Fault should be determined after examining the evidence (videos, photographs, maps of location, etc), when you’ve had time to really understand exactly what happened. Generally the police or your insurance company will make the final decision.

Food delivery

5 great tips for car care in the summer

Keeping our cars in top shape is important year-round. However, when it comes to summertime there are some specific considerations to take into account.

The Automotive Training Center suggests the following

Keep your engine cool – keeping an eye on coolant levels under the hood is important. Make sure that you check and top off coolant levels every few weeks.
Have the AC unit inspected – An AC system that’s on its way out won’t last through the heat of the summer. It pays to get it inspected by a certified technician to remain cool throughout the summer.
Replace your windshield wipes – Summer thunderstorms are known for their rain-dumping nature. Switch out your wiper blades for a new set, especially if the same pair has already served you for several seasons.
Change your oil more frequently – If you are spending long hours driving, or just tend to drive shorter trips more often in the summer, your oil change frequency needs to adjust accordingly. During summer travel, follow your manual’s summertime maintenance schedule for your car which can be found inside its owner’s manual.
Check your tires – As temperatures climb into the 80s and 90s, your tires are at a higher risk for a blowout. This makes monitoring pressure levels paramount. Using your vehicle’s onboard monitoring system is great, but you also want to use a manual gauge to check the pressure at least once a month during hotter weather.

Following these tips will not only help to keep your car running without issue through these hot months and make you feel more confident while driving.