We live in times where we cannot guarantee our safety, the safety of our loved ones and valuables, it is therefore important to practise safe precautions at all times.
The introduction of e-hailing services made many of us comfortable knowing that the drivers were registered and that they wouldn’t think of defaulting as their details would easily be found on the company’s system. The sad reality is that there have been many crimes reported of incidents that are linked to e-hailing services, making them less safe than we initially thought they were.
To stay safe while on an e-hailing taxi service media channel MNET’s Carte Blanche shares the following tips:
- Have a Plan. The channel’s investigative show share that, it is important to know your destination before requesting the ride. Checking the route and the amount of time it takes to get to it is also of importance.
- Safe Location. Whenever you are about to request a ride, it is important to be in a safe space. Rather than being in the street alone while requesting, Carte Blanche suggests waiting in an area with a lot of people instead.
- Share Your Trip. Carte Blanche advises to inform a friend or a family member prior to the trip. You will need to give them information such as your time of departure and an estimated time of arrival as it is usually stipulated on the app. On sites where you are able to share your location it is important to use this service as it will share the road taken by the driver to your destination.
- Ratings Matter. When a driver accepts your trip, one of the important things to do is to check their rating. If their rating is on the low, it is advised not to continue and rather cancel the trip and look for another driver.
Also see: Safety tips for driving in the rain
