To protect yourself as an e-hailing driver, you must get a good dashcam that captures clear footage of everything that happens in and outside the vehicle. A dashcam won’t stop criminals from gaining access to your vehicle, but the recorded footage will help you find the culprits. A dashcam also helps you quickly resolve false client accusations, protecting your reputation.
Dashcam usage is on the rise in South Africa, as many people are now seeing how useful these gadgets can be for holding people accountable for their actions. Shocking video footage of a Bolt driver who lost his life due to criminal activity gained widespread social media traction, resulting in the whole country going on a manhunt.
Within a few days, all suspects were apprehended and detained. If it weren’t for the dashcam, finding the culprits would’ve been nearly impossible. The dashcam in question is one of Cartrack’s, and for that reason, we’re here to share more tips on how you can protect yourself or your drivers.
To protect yourself as an e-hailing driver, you must ensure the requested rides are from valid accounts, check the client’s ratings, and be vigilant. You must also invest in security measures like panic buttons and dashcams. These security measures won’t stop the thief from entering your vehicle, but they’ll be helpful in getting you quick assistance.
Here’s a detailed breakdown of what you need to do to protect yourself:
We know that most ride-hailing systems don’t allow you to see a customer’s destination until you reach the pick-up spot and start the trip. This makes it nearly impossible to avoid high-risk areas because your client might be headed there. Whenever that happens, make sure you’re hyper aware of your surroundings and check if you’re being followed.
No place in South Africa is 100% safe, so staying vigilant is a must everywhere you go. Always make sure the doors are locked, check if you’re being followed, and watch out for unusual activities at traffic light stops.
Check the rider’s name on your app, and once they get into your vehicle, verify by asking for the name. You can tell them you want to make sure you’ve picked up the right person. A lot of drivers make the mistake of letting people in without confirming their identity.
If you get the opportunity, check the client’s ratings so you know how they’ve been with other drivers. Some e-hailing platforms even have verified badges on client profiles to show you that all client details are accurate. Others even tell you how long the person has been using that platform. A new profile with details that have not yet been verified by your e-hailing platform might be someone you need to avoid.
In some instances, clients suggest routes they feel are better and supposedly faster. Criminals might recommend “better” routes to lure you to a less busy area where it’ll be easy for them to attack. For your safety, just stick to the navigator and explain to your client that this is what you feel is a better route. This might put a dent in your ratings, but at least you’ll be safe.
A dashcam won't necessarily stop the criminals from getting into your vehicle, but it’ll record everything that happens, which will make it easier to find them (as we’ve seen in recent events). It’s a must-have for every vehicle owner, and most certainly for you as an e-hailing driver because you’ll come across different situations every day.
GPS tracking devices are essential for vehicle recovery. When a hijacking happens, what matters most is your life. Don’t put your life at risk by going against what the hijackers tell you to do and fighting for the vehicle. Instead, get a GPS tracker so you can easily back off without a fight, knowing you’ll soon have it back.
According to Racers Paint & Panel, 7 out of 10 vehicles in South Africa aren’t insured. Vehicle insurance is another important thing you must have for your vehicle so you can get a payout if ever the vehicle isn’t recovered.
As of March 11th, panic buttons will be compulsory for all e-hailing vehicles, so make sure you get one! A panic button ensures a silent call for help, so you get assistance as soon as possible. Only you will know where the button is, and it won’t make a sound; so the thieves won’t know that help is already on the way.
In some instances, thieves might take your cell phone along with your vehicle to prevent you from calling for help immediately after the incident, giving them more time to get away. By investing in a panic button, you ensure a quick response to stop them in their tracks.
As an e-hailing driver, you need a dashcam for extra protection on the road because of the high crime rates. Besides hijackings and robberies, there are other situations that a dashcam can save you from, which are:
There are many instances where drivers get accused of stealing clients’ belongings, like cellphones and purses. In other instances, a client can say they paid cash when, in fact, they didn't. Whenever something like this happens, it’ll be your word against theirs, but with a dashcam you’ll have footage of what exactly transpired so you can prove your innocence.
Nowadays, thieves come up with different ways for you to bump their vehicles so they can claim insurance. These scams are doing the rounds everywhere, and a dashcam is your best bet at overcoming such situations. You’ll be able to capture the situation leading to the accident to prove to the investigators that it was a trap.
Imagine getting into an accident at the traffic light intersection and the other driver claims you beat the red light when in fact you had already passed the stop line when the amber lights appeared. Such situations are hard to prove if there weren’t any witnesses at the time of the incident. But with a dashcam you’ll be able to back up your side of the story. It’ll showcase the moments leading to the accident, proving you weren’t in the wrong.
Dashcams save you from accident disputes and speed up the claims process. Some insurers might even offer you a discounted premium for having a dashcam.
At Cartrack we protect lift providers by providing stolen vehicle recovery services, dashcams, panic buttons, and medical assistance. These solutions don’t necessarily stop the criminals from gaining entry to your vehicle, but they’ll ensure you get quick help and have a full record of the incident.
We are known for providing one of the best stolen vehicle recovery services in South Africa! In the past decade alone, we’ve conducted over 100 000 vehicle recoveries. That alone shows you how dedicated we are to getting back what rightfully belongs to you. We’ve got a team of recovery agents that are available nationwide and just a call away.
You can get one of our panic buttons for added safety. We’ll place it somewhere close to you for easy access. Once pushed, it alerts our 24-hour control room service agents that there’s an emergency, and help will get to you quicker because they can already see your vehicle’s location.
Our Dual Vision camera solution is a dashcam that records both the inside of the vehicle and what’s on the outside. It's perfect for an e-hailing driver like you, who needs to capture everything that happens during trips. The camera records audio which can reveal conversations between you and the customer, for cases where you have to prove what you said or didn’t say if there’s a false report.
You also have the option of adding an action button to your dashcam package. The action button is very similar to the panic button. The difference is that it’s attached to the camera and records footage for 10 seconds after you push the button. It then sends it together with the alert so we can see exactly what's happening.
At Cartrack, we have a Protector solution which consists of emergency medical assistance. This is a value-added service you can add to your package so you get emergency medical support (e.g ambulance) when you need it. This service will come in handy in instances where you’re robbed in the vehicle and are injured. Our control room agents will send help to your location, ensuring that you get quick assistance.
At Cartrack we specialise in all things related to vehicle safety. By investing in our solutions you increase your safety and that of your vehicle. If you’re ever in trouble, we’re just one call or a push of a button away. So make sure you reach out to us and get the protection you deserve.
Read along to get lifesaving tips to protect yourself from the unknown during your daily trips using our advanced technology.
