How to Handle an Unruly Passenger While Driving

Nowadays, rideshare services are the most popular way of getting anywhere fast if you don’t have your means of transport. You whip out your smartphone, click the carrier app, whether it’s Uber or Lyft, and your ride picks you up in a matter of minutes.

Besides the opportunity to eke out a living by taking passengers, the experience may not be all that thrilling for the drivers.

Taking on passengers has its challenges. You’ll be interacting with different people of varying temperaments. Some of your customers will be nice to you, some not so much. But it comes with the job.

However, you’re likely to come across an unruly passenger now and then. These can be disruptive and may end up causing damages or even bodily harm.

So, how do you handle an unruly passenger while driving?

Well, here are our top five tips to help you in such situations:

1.    Assess the Situation

Make a habit of assessing your prospective passengers before deciding whether to drive off with them or not.

Sometimes it’s easy to tell if a passenger will be difficult before they even get in your car. That’s why it’s important to get out to meet and welcome them. It also allows you to size them up for a few seconds before taking the job.

You definitely don’t want to take off with questionable people and realize that on the road. Not giving yourself a moment to interact with a customer before the ride begins can be risky.

2.    Focus on Driving

When you have a problematic passenger on board, you have two options: find a way to deal with the situation or end the ride prematurely at a safe and convenient stop.

Most of the time, however, challenging passengers just have high conflict personalities but are harmless. In that case, realize that it’s a temporary situation and focus on the ride. Usually, when you focus on your job, your passenger will lose interest in challenging you.

3.    Don’t Lose Your Cool

As a driver, try not to lose your temper because that can affect your judgment and distract you from paying attention to driving.

If there’s a risk to your safety because the customer is getting physically abusive, pull over to the side of the road and distance yourself from the potentially harmful environment.

You may need to call the police if you think there’s a risk of getting harmed.

Regardless of the amount of distress you may be put in, try to remain calm and exercise self-control. Remember, you’re the one in charge and not the passenger.

4.    Brief Them on the Rules

If you’re experiencing rider complications, it will help to brief them on the acceptable rules of conduct while in the vehicle. You shouldn’t assume that they are aware because most people aren’t.

Both Uber and Lyft have guidelines or passenger policies that you, as the driver, should communicate to your passengers to ensure safety. Remind unruly riders that breaking rideshare rules could put you and them in harm’s way.

5.    Always De-escalate

Ultimately the best approach you can take with difficult passengers is to avoid making things worse. Always try to de-escalate the situation.

There are various conflict resolution methods you can use to ease tension and get your rider to cooperate for the duration of the trip. Here are some of the conflict resolution methods to try:

• Remain calm and professional. Don’t get baited into an argument
• Speak politely but firmly to maintain your authority
• Be clear about what’s expected from passengers and what’s not tolerated
• Try not to take abusive language personally as that could lead to an unnecessary exchange
• Show that you’re ready to listen to their grievances and willing to help where possible

Conclusion

It’s important to remember that the rules set in place are there to ensure everyone’s safety. You’ll often cross paths with difficult passengers, assess the situation, and see if it’s manageable or out of control.

Try not to accommodate rule-breakers because there are things such as criminal behavior that could get you in trouble with the law.

As a driver, get insured so that you don’t rely purely on carrier coverage. If problems arise after an accident, for instance, JT Legal Group can help with legal representation.