Here's Why Every Uber Driver Needs A Dash Cam

Quite a few people have discovered that joining a ride-sharing app, like Uber, can make a major impact upon income. In fact, Uber estimates that over 137 million people used the service last year, including UberEats. That is a lot of people paying you to drive them, or their food, somewhere. Uber has also done a lot to protect its customers, with background checks of drivers, safety protocols to help get the customer to the right car, and more. But what is done to protect the drivers? As an Uber driver, you need to protect yourself. A dash cam is a simple way to do just that.

AutoGuide.com thanks Vantrue for sponsoring this Dash Cam Buyer’s Guide Series

Road Hazards

As an Uber, or other ride-share platform driver, you likely already know all about the types of road hazards out there, Some you can usually avoid, like potholes, construction, and congested traffic. There are some that can’t be avoided. This includes accidents, which can come from any number of reasons, like bad weather, other drivers, and more, as well as issues with your clients. There are several safeguards in place for rideshare users to make them feel safer about getting into a car with someone they don’t know.

But what about safeguards for you as a driver? Sure there is the emergency button you can push on the app. There is another form of protection that every Uber driver should have - a dash cam.

Having a dash cam protects you in several ways, with video proof of your passenger’s behavior as well as your own. It gives you the key visual and audio evidence to protect not just yourself, but your passengers as well if any potential legal disputes arise. The footage serves as an unbiased account of what occurred outside and inside the vehicle. This recorded evidence can clear things up and protect you from any false accusations, or clear up fault in the event of an accident. The footage can also assist in resolving any additional disputes. There are far more reasons to use a dash cam than not to.

What Kind Of Dash Cam Do You Need?

That is a great question. There are lots of good options for dash cams out there. Ideally, you’d want one that records both the external action outside your car, as well as inside with a rear-facing camera. And, of course, you want audio recording, too.

The nice thing about modern dash cams is that the technology has caught up with the price demand, meaning you can now get a lot of bang for your buck, so to speak. High definition cameras used to be unbelievably expensive, but now, it is much easier to get full HD recording capability that doesn’t require a second mortgage.

Safer On The Cloud

For the ultimate in security for both you and your passengers, the best option for a dash cam for rideshare drivers backs up all recordings to the cloud. One of the best options we’ve seen is the Vanture NX2 Bundle kit. This camera records both front and back with full HD and crystal clear audio. The bundle kit includes all the wiring necessary to install the camera and the LTE Hotbox. You would need to add a sim card from your wireless service, and likely add it to your wireless plan. But this way, everything is recorded and automatically uploaded to your cloud server.

Why the cloud? Imagine, for example, you’re driving a person to the airport early in the morning. Coming from another direction is a car with a driver distracted by his morning coffee and a desire not to be going to work at that hour. He blows through a stop sign and hits you. Clearly it is his fault, but in his frustrated state, he decides to yank your dash cam out of your car and make a break for it. Granted this is a wild scenario, but not entirely out of the realm of possibility these days. With a cloud system, your recording is already safe and kept on your cloud, awaiting you to share it with authorities.

A cloud-based server is also the easiest way to share your trip recording. You can often just access it with your phone and send it immediately if need be. The list of why this would be helpful is very long.

Cloudless

For complete protection without the cloud backup, something that is really amazing is Vantrue’s Nexus 5 camera system with 4 channel recording in ultra-high definition. This gives you amazing recording with a front view, front seat view, rear seat view, and rear view. You can WiFi connect it to your phone for better access. This camera covers all angles with adjustable camera locations and so much more.It offers you the most comprehensive camera coverage around for optimal security.

The Bottom Line

In the end, you are in a business as a rideshare driver. You have to do what is best to protect both yourself and your passengers. It is the best and most important reason when looking at why every Uber driver needs a dash cam.