Being an Uber driver is a fairly easy and comfortable job. Uber as a company has put a lot  in place to ensure the safety of riders and drivers. One of such policies is the popular cashless payment option for Uber passengers. With Uber’s cashless payment option, the odds of getting robbed as an Uber driver dramatically decrease. The Taxi industry has faced the issue of robbery without much progress: “Per the Center for Problem-Oriented Policing in the United States, it is said that “taxi drivers have the highest or among the highest of job related homicide and assault”. Furthermore, “Robbery is the motive for more than half of all work related homicides and non-fatal assaults.”  (See more information here: taxi drivers and robbery).

This is a major problem that Uber has effectively eliminated in  Uber cities where the cashless option is the only option: by allowing riders to pay using their credit or debit cards. Another thing that makes Uber a safe business is the fact that riders are pre-registered users who have submitted vital information about themselves to Uber. These are indeed good operational patterns that can be mentioned as reasons why Uber passes as safe for a driver. Yet, as a female Uber driver, you need more to be safe. Even though the Uber platform has provided good reasons to feel safe, there are still reasons to be extra careful as a female Uber driver.

These are some REASONS TO BE EXTRA CAREFUL:

•        You Work Alone: The nature of the Uber job makes you a lone ranger – there can only be one driver. You are the only employee in your company premises (your car). 

•        You Work at Dangerous Times: Most Uber drivers work till very late at night. These are actually the times when some believe they get more rides. This is plausible since many workaholics and party riders need a ride home after a long day/night.

•        You Work in Isolated Environments: Driving for Uber means that you would sometimes have to pick up riders from areas some would call “transportation deserts”. These kinds of places might (at rare times) end up being secluded and very silent.

•        You Deal with The Good, Bad and Ugly: Driving everyday means you meet thousands of people. Even though Uber has their details and have you connect with them when you’re to pick them, riders, to you, are still strangers.

7 KEYS TO SAFETY (FOR FEMALE UBER DRIVERS)

1.       Be Vigilant

A female Uber driver needs to be alert at all times. You must ensure that you are always aware of your surroundings. Try as much as possible to be in control of your surroundings and pay attention to your riders. Watch out for suspicious remarks or bodily expressions that suggest that they might be dangerous. I do not mean that you should be paranoid about each rider you pick – I only mean that you should keep your eyes open.

At night, you need to be even more cautious and vigilant. The most dangerous hours , in our experience, are between 9:00 pm in the evening and 5:00 am in the morning. 

Be particularly cautious with riders who give you funny instructions or seem to want too much from you. Pay attention to a possible rise in tones or erratic conversation rhythms. You can only notice these things when you’re vigilant and conscious of your surroundings. Also, when on a late night trip, be careful how you decide whether to get out of your car to help riders with baggage in the trunk. If something seems off, don’t come out of your car to help with the riders bags. Open your trunk from inside the car!

2.      Don’t Be Aggressive

This is a way to avoid causing any argument. Uber particularly wants drivers to understand the need to treat the riders warmly. Arguments sometimes escalate into physical confrontation. Be a gentle lady and do what mainly needs to be done – driving. That refined individual sitting behind you might actually have a couple of screws loose. Don’t completely unwind your riders screws!

3.      Manage All Conversations Properly

Sometimes riders want to chat and sometimes they just want a quiet ride. Be smart enough to know which they want and know that you are not obligated to start a conversation. However, you must ensure that you reply when they start one and try to answer in the friendliest way, even to the most idiotic questions. This is a good way to ensure that both the driver and passenger have a pleasant trip.

4.      Do Not Resist a Robbery

There’s very little you can do in a robbery situation. Most petty thieves have nothing to gain from taking a life, they only want to take what you have and run off with it. No, I haven’t forgotten that Uber is cashless. Yet, you might have something a robber wants – your cellphone, your necklace, your very attractive ring given to you by a dear person. Please do not resist if all they want is to take what they see and run off. You can’t drive with Uber if you are dead.

5.      Take Self-defense Classes

Yes, being a female Uber driver might need you to take extra measures, I already warned from the start. For drivers who are able and willing, taking self-defense classes is a very good idea. Such classes are usually not too rigorous; just a few tips to help you stay safe will do. This might prove very fruitful in dangerous situations since we all know that a lady has a little more to lose than the possessions listed in #4. Having a little knowledge of self-defense can at least help you create a ‘get-away’ chance in dangerous situations.

6.      Avoid Driving into Alleys or Back Lanes

These places are good areas to do evil. You must ensure that you only drop-off your rider at the set location, no extras. Uber simply wants you to fulfill the trip agreements by dropping your riders at their destination which is less likely to involve alleys and back lanes. And too be honest, if the rider insists on a dark alley drop off location, say NO. Whats the worst a normal passenger will do, other than give you a bad review?

7.      Do Your Safety Checks

Before you drive out, you need to check that your car is in perfect condition. Your lights, your tires, your battery terminals, your radiator, your engine oil and so on. You do not want your car breaking down at night in a part of town you are not familiar with.

Generally, the Uber platform is more regulated and protected than regular taxis. The tips above are just things you should know as a female Uber driver to be extra safe. You should also ensure that you drive safely because if you do your job very smoothly, you have a little less to worry about. Try not to endanger your passenger’s life in any way. This way, you would have fulfilled your end of the bargain. I will also like to remind you not to underestimate the power of your pepper spray. Let it be your emergency weapon should there be any rough situation.

If you are considering becoming an Uber driver, please use our signup link here: uberkit.net/signup

Other Interesting Uber Related Posts

For our blog posts on some of Uber’s Services, see the links below:

• How Much Do Uber Drivers Make?
• Top Car Leasing Programs for an Uber Driver
• How to Find the Highest UberX Fares
• How to Become an Uber Driver
• Uber Customer Service

For other popular posts you might be interested in, check the links below:

• An Introduction to Different Uber Services
• Uber Insurance Issues and Commercial Insurance
• Uber Car Requirements: 420 Uber Black Cars Analyzed.
• Uber Car Requirements: 90 Uber SUV Vehicles Analyzed.
• Uber Car Requirements: 580 UberX Cars Analyzed.
• Uber Car Requirements: 115 UberXL Cars Analyzed.