Car Sharing Etiquette and Safety Tips

We are wrapping up National Safety Month with these year-round safety tips to keep in mind when car sharing, renting an EV, or just out on the town. Check out these seven safety suggestions below to stay safe on and off the road and keep rolling along this summer.

1. Be Careful When You’re Inspecting Your Rental. When you pick up your rental car, you will need to document any damage to the vehicle, inside and out. The inspection process protects you from getting charged for any damage you did not cause and allows you to inform the service provider of any damages they may not be aware of yet. Taking pictures through the app is an important part of this process. Be sure to watch out for oncoming traffic when you’re inspecting the vehicle and taking those pictures. Wait until it’s safe and never step into traffic to take a picture.

2. Lock Your Doors. Always lock the doors to your rental car. Whether you are mid rental or ending your rental, it is important to keep the doors locked to keep unwanted guests out and avoid any unwanted surprises. When car sharing, it is important to remember that we share the car with our community, and we want to keep the car clean and safe for the next driver.

3. Be Aware of Your Surroundings. While every driver knows to drive safe and be aware of their surrounding while driving, it is also important to be aware of your surroundings when picking up or dropping off your rental EV. Always be sure to check the area around you. When arriving to your destination, be sure the area is secure before getting out of your car. If you feel uncomfortable, do not get out of the car. You can wait to exit or choose a different drop-off point. If you feel that you are in immediate danger, do not hesitate to call 911.

4. When You Park, Don’t Leave Valuables in Plain View. We sometimes forget about little details like this when we’re excited to get somewhere or late for work, but taking the time to make sure money, jewelry, phones, computers, etc. are out of sight, is worth the minor delay.

5. Don’t Text and Drive. It goes without saying, but many people still try to text and drive. Distracted driving cost over 3,000 lives in 2020. The LAPD is cracking down harder than ever on texting and driving. A ticket for texting and driving is in the hundreds of dollars, but that’s nothing compared to the cost of causing an accident, injury, or worse. No conversation is that important. Wait until you can safely text and avoid anything that will distract you from keeping your eyes on the road.

6. If You’re Traveling with Children, Be Sure You’re Prepared. This information was gathered courtesy of the Orange County Sheriff’s Department. California has the strictest car seat laws in the nation. Children must be seated in rear seats in an appropriate car seat or booster until they are 8 years old or 4’9. The car seat must be rear facing until the child is 40 pounds. Children are considered ready for a booster when they outgrow standard car seats, around 65 pounds. If you have children, make sure to bring your own car seat with you, so you can meet California legal requirements and keep your kids safe.

7. Check Your Charge Levels. Some EV drivers get range anxiety, and some forget to check the charge. What’s great about renting an EV from BlueLA powered by Blink Mobility is that charging your EV is included in your membership. The Chevy Bolt also has a 259-mile range and since your short-term rental will last less than 24 hours and remain within LA, Ventura, and Orange counties you more than likely will not run out of charge before you get back to a station. Especially since the Chevy Bolt has regenerative brakes! Still, we would be amiss if we didn’t tell EV drivers to keep an eye on their charge levels. If you find that the charge is low, be sure to use your app to locate a charging station near you and avoid being stranded.

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Wondering how to even get into car sharing or how to rent an EV? BlueLA powered by Blink Mobility is how. This smarter, greener transportation option in Los Angeles is improving the community and environment one ride at a time. BlueLA powered by Blink Mobility car sharing provides members with fully electric vehicles for their everyday needs. Clean and convenient EVs can be picked up and dropped off at 40 locations around the city, making the need for your own car the old way of getting around. Download the Blink Mobility app and become a member today.

Be safe this summer and charge on!