Why Dash Cams For Rideshare Are Crucial

Being able to protect yourself and your vehicle as a professional rideshare driver is vital, and with more drivers on the road and increasing vehicle crash rates, drivers should have the right solutions in place to help make sure they can stay safe. An accident or even a fender bender as well as a passenger complication that damages your vehicle can be a big setback to your job and your income. That’s why it’s important to have an unbiased view of how an accident unfolded, or how a passenger behaved in your vehicle. Keeping yourself protected with a smart dash cam to capture a story from all angles can make sharing your recording with insurance and rideshare companies easier and less of a hassle.

Can Uber Drivers Use Cameras?

Yes, both Lyft and Uber drivers can install and use cameras, and many rideshare drivers rely on footage for safety or evidence in the event something goes wrong. Similarly, other professional drivers like school bus drivers also typically use cameras to monitor students, while most city buses and other public transport have cameras that record drivers and passengers.

For passengers concerned about cabin dash cam usage, it’ll be important to check local laws and regulations to find out if it’s a requirement for riders to provide consent to being recorded. Certain businesses have different driver requirements for how to notify passengers, whether that be verbally or through a dashcam warning decal. In some cases, vehicles are considered a public place, which means the driver is recording the space, and if you choose to willingly enter that space, it doesn’t entitle you to request that a recording be stopped. Plus, the Uber video recording policy and Lyft recording policy help guide drivers on how to avoid breaches of personal privacy while ensuring safety.

What Happens if Your Uber Crashes?

All rideshare drivers are required to have insurance, and when an Uber or Lyft crashes, companies and insurers need to be notified. In the unfortunate event that an accident occurs, a dash cam can provide drivers, passengers and third parties assurance that details of how an incident unfolded is captured on footage. It’s important to understand how rideshare insurance works, and to be aware that drivers need to routinely interact with their app, which can cause distracted driving and potentially increase risk on the road. One of the benefits of dash cams in rideshare vehicles is that passengers and third parties can rely on accurate representation through a second view to utilize for insurance purposes. Passengers who wish to file an insurance claim as compensation for injuries, loss of property, or unemployment can use dash cam videos, especially if in-cabin footage was captured, to show how they were impacted. As a third party, if a distracted rideshare driver caused a collision, their dash cam footage documentation can verify who was at fault instead of relying on word of mouth.

Important Features to Look for in Dash Cams for Uber & Lyft Drivers

With a plethora of dash cam options out there, it can be hard to narrow down which features are truly important and what type of camera is best for rideshare drivers. Ultimately, having clear footage of the vehicle's surroundings as well as an in-cabin view is what will matter most to settle disputes. Here are the top features drivers should look for:

• Quality, clear footage with low-light capabilities is crucial to capturing footage at dusk or at night, which for Uber drivers is the busiest time on the road.
• An in-cabin view can be used not only to provide proof of misbehaving passengers but can also prove the driver’s alertness and reinforce good driving habits.
• An integrated app like the Drive Smarter app provides drivers with vital road safety information from a network of other users and automated traffic updates.
• Staying connected with built-in GPS, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth means that your recordings will be automatically stored with location coordinates and your speed during the duration of your time on the road.
• A smart dash cam that offers emergency alerts and incident reports in case of an accident can make insurance claims effortless and give you peace of mind that help is on the way in the event of an accident.
• A rear view dash cam can be an extra set of eyes to capture what happens in your vehicle’s surroundings when your eyes are on the road ahead.

For someone who spends such a large amount of time on the road, it makes sense to invest in a quality dash cam. Most of us have seen the trending videos on social media of nightmare passengers in Uber or Lyft vehicles, and the patience drivers demonstrate when dealing with disorderly and flat out rude or even violent riders. Having footage of these incidents can help protect drivers from unpredictability or act as a deterrent to passengers.

Along with the safety that dash cams provide rideshare drivers and passengers, they also help in the community. There have been numerous instances when Uber dash cams have captured hit-and-run incidents, collisions and frightening close calls. In this case, an Uber driver’s dash cam can help solve crimes and prove who was at fault. Choose to protect yourself with an extra set of eyes on the road, and inside your vehicle, with a Cobra dash cam.