Do these 3 things every time you get into an Uber or Lyft

When you need fast and reliable transportation, New York’s subway system sometimes is not an option. Instead, you may take a ride-hailing service, such as Uber or Lyft. You do not, though, want to sustain a serious injury when riding in someone else’s car, truck or SUV.

With some luck, you may never have to deal with an accident in a ride-hailing service vehicle. If you find yourself in one, how you respond matters. Still, you can boost your odds of walking away from an unexpected collision by taking certain steps. Here are three smart things to do every time you get into an Uber or Lyft:

1. Put on your seat belt

Seat belts save lives. In fact, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, because of seat belt usage, 15,000 individuals lived through automobile accidents that otherwise likely would have killed them. Still, for some reason, passengers in ride-hailing vehicles regularly neglect to put on their seat belts. To increase your chances of arriving at your destination safely, you should always wear yours.

2. Sit in the back

It can be awkward to ride by yourself in the back of another person’s vehicle. Nevertheless, the backseat is considerably safer than either seat in the front. Furthermore, when climbing into the back of a car or SUV, you can choose whether to sit behind either the driver or passenger seat. Sitting on the passenger side allows you to keep an eye on the driver. As such, this is probably the best place to be in any ride-hailing vehicle.

3. Confirm ride information

Even though you likely have greater odds of sustaining a serious injury in an automobile accident than being the victim of an assault, you must be certain that you get into the correct vehicle. Therefore, always ask the driver to confirm your name before you climb aboard. Additionally, match the vehicle’s license plate to the information in your app before interacting with the driver.

Automobile accidents happen every day in New York. Because no one is immune from injury in a ride-hailing service vehicle, you must act diligently to protect yourself. By exercising a bit of caution, you can likely stay safe when riding in an Uber or Lyft.