Every day, 19 million people use Uber or Lyft to get around.
While ridesharing has become a huge craze, recent headlines have prompted some customers to be more careful when ordering a car.
Though safety is a big concern, there may be other hazards that you can’t even see.
A new study conducted by the insurance company NetQuote found more germs in ridesharing vehicles than in taxis.
Results showed the average rideshare vehicle has about 219 times as many germs as the average taxi, which is regularly cleaned.
They were nearly three times germier than the average toothbrush holder and more than 35,000 times germier than the average toilet seat.
To protect yourself, avoid touching the germiest areas, like window buttons.
Another bad area for germs: the seat belt. You can’t avoid that, but be sure to use a hand sanitizer after your ride.
Surprisingly, door handles aren’t as bad.
Report vehicles that are unclean to the ridesharing service.
Drivers are also encouraged to vacuum and wipe down their cars often and to use an air sanitizer.
Another concern with ridesharing is the safety of back seat passengers.
According to one study, only 57%of passengers in hired vehicles wore their seat belts, compared to 74% of passengers in personal cars.
Remember to always buckle up.