Winter driving is no joke in general. Everyone needs to slow down and be sure to take the proper winter driving precautions, but if you drive a rideshare, your point-to-point driving makes you more vulnerable to getting in an accident than if you were simply driving to and from work. Add to this the dangers of driving in winter – not just snow, but colder months – and you have a situation that will quickly tell you if you’re an attentive enough driver or not. Here are some times for keeping yourself and your riders safe during the winter.
If you drive somewhere where snow is common during the winter, fewer drivers on the road can mean good and bad things. Of course, if the conditions are too dangerous to drive, don’t chance it just for a few bucks. If the conditions are such that other people are choosing you instead of driving themselves, then you have the possibility of a little extra cash. Fewer drivers does mean the snow may be piled up higher and more of a danger, so be sure to keep scrapers and other winter basics and emergency supplies in your trunk, including extra fluids for your car and a shovel and kitty litter in your trunk for getting unstuck from snow.
This is true year-round, but you should make sure to be extra careful not to rush if there’s a chance of hitting snow and/or ice and skidding out and possibly ending up in a ditch. If you have to be slow, be slow. Getting to your rider’s destination period is more important than getting there on time.
You should always be aware of the safest roads in your area, in case the snow and ice maintenance is better on some roads than others. Of course, you
want your riders to feel safe, as well, so be sure to communicate with them clearly if there’s a change in the route – make it clear to them that this is a proper, safe route to their destination so that they can feel comfortable in their ride with you.
Along with driving slowly, making sure you’re further away from other cars than normal is critical to avoid hitting another car, since winter weather is going to make it slower and harder to brake on time. You should make sure you know your own car well, and if you know you aren’t a great winter driver, you should avoid taking fares until you’re more skilled at it. Also, if you’re driving with Lyft, Uber, or both, you should know their safety standards in addition to your own personal ones.
Your emergency kit should contain provisions like food and water in case of the worst possible winter emergency, but you should also make sure your car has been properly maintained to avoid accidents or breakdowns in the winter. If you need snow tires or chains, make sure they are installed and maintained before heading out.
blogs
How Dangerous are Ride Shares?
Everyone with a smartphone now has access to the next generation of personalized, private transportation. It used to be a matter of calling and reserving a cab or, in some places, hailing one from the side of the road. Since ridesharing is a new phenomenon, however, all of the kinks are still being worked out, […]
Bicycle Safety Tips
Bicycling might be the true essence of freedom in transportation. No dependence on anyone to get around except yourself, no motor to make you drive out of control, and you can park your bike just about anywhere. Still, safety while riding a bicycle is just as important as with any other mode of transportation, especially […]
Stay Safe in Hybrid and Electric Vehicles
In the history of cars, hybrids and plug-in electric vehicles are still essentially brand-new. With new technology comes a new way to look at transportation. This includes an eye toward safety – anything new in automobiles is going to require a new understanding of how they work, what the dangers are, and how to maintain […]
Ridesharing Services May Help Lower Drunk Driving Accidents
Research has been done in Chicago showing a correlation between ridesharing and drunk driving incidents. The study looks at the relationship between rideshare participants on the road and accidents over about a year’s time. It is no secret that drunk driving leads to catastrophic damages and injury on a regular basis in America. If you […]
What Causes Truck Tire Blowouts and What to Do When a Truck Tire Hits Your Car
18-wheeler trucks and other commercial vehicles are the backbone of our economy. They deliver nearly 70% of all freight transported annually, and account for over 700 billion of the country’s revenue annually. Just because they’re critical to our economy, it doesn’t make them less dangerous. For instance, although it’s not as bad as a truck […]
Four Surprising Myths about Motorcycle Accidents and Injuries
Motorcycles have become a pretty popular way to get around in the country. In California alone, there are over 790,000 registered motorcycles. This number is set to increase as more people choose the convenience and the fun that comes with getting around on a motorcycle. But despite these increasing numbers, there are countless myths and […]
Five Apps for Bicyclists
Bicycle accidents happen all the time in the United States, and practicing bicycle safety is relatively simple – it just involves a lot of mindful riding and the safest possible equipment. Another part of safe bicycle riding is making sure you have your routes planned out and, in the case of an emergency, it doesn’t […]
Motorcycle Safety Tips for Cold Weather
Driving any vehicle in cold weather and especially snow is going to make for a much more difficult time than driving in dry, comfortable weather. With enough preparation and all of the right gear, it is possible to mitigate many of these problems, but without them, you run the risk of a deadly accident. Before […]
More Apps for Increased Rideshare Safety
If every ride you take is just you and an unknown driver, it doesn’t hurt to look into your safety options. And while any unsure situation could potentially turn dangerous, you can do yourself a favor by finding helpful methods for letting people know where you are and where you’re going to be, and generally […]
4 Common Mistakes that Ruin Workers Compensation Claims
Thousands of workers are injured annually while at the workplace. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, one worker succumbed to workplace injuries every 99 minutes in 2019, while over 99,000 others retained non-fatal injuries. Despite the prevalence of workplace injuries and the increasing number of workers compensation claims, only a few victims are usually […]
contact form
