Personal Safety Guide for Delivery Drivers

Most shifts are uneventful. But gig drivers work alone, often in unfamiliar areas, at all hours, and regularly approach homes and apartment buildings they've never been to before. That combination creates situations most jobs don't — and the platforms don't prepare you for any of it.

You can't control every situation. You can control how prepared you are when one happens.

Before You Leave the Car

Know the address before you get out

Check the delivery address and any customer notes before you park and get out of the car. Know which building, unit, or entrance you're heading to. Walking around an unfamiliar property looking confused makes you more vulnerable than walking directly to the door with purpose.

Park where you can see your car

Park in a visible spot when possible — not tucked behind a building or down a dark side street. You want a clear path back to your car and the ability to see it from the door if possible. Leave enough room to pull out quickly if needed.

Lock your car

Even for a 60-second drop-off. Leaving your car unlocked with your phone, bag, or other valuables in plain sight makes it a target. Lock it every time — it becomes automatic quickly.

Keep your phone accessible

Your phone should be in your hand or an easily reachable pocket — not buried in a bag — when you're walking to and from a door. You need to be able to call for help quickly if a situation develops.

Approaching the Door

Stay aware of your surroundings

Don't walk with your head down looking at your phone the entire time. Be aware of who and what is around you as you approach. This isn't about being paranoid — it's about not being caught off guard.

Stand to the side of the door

When you knock or ring the bell, stand slightly to the side rather than directly in front of the door. This is a standard practice that gives you a better view of who is opening and a natural distance from the doorway.

Keep the interaction brief and professional

Deliver the order, confirm it with the customer, and leave. You don't need to linger. A quick, professional handoff is the goal — not a conversation. If a customer seems agitated, aggressive, or makes you uncomfortable, hand off the order and leave without engaging further.

Never enter a customer's home

No matter what the request is, never enter a customer's residence. Leave the order at the door. If a customer asks you to bring something inside, politely decline. This is non-negotiable.

Apartment Complexes and Buildings

Apartment deliveries add complexity — long hallways, poor lighting, unfamiliar layouts, and buzzer systems that don't always work. A few things that help:

• Use the building intercom or buzz the correct unit — don't rely on propping open doors or tailgating other residents in
• Take note of the nearest exit as you enter — know how to get back out quickly
• Use a headlamp or flashlight in poorly lit stairwells and hallways — looking where you're going matters for safety as much as comfort
• If something feels off about a floor or hallway, leave the order at a common area or contact the customer before proceeding

Working at Night

Night shifts pay well and tend to be busier in some markets, but they come with additional considerations.

• Tell someone your general area — a friend, family member, or anyone who knows you're working and roughly where
• Keep your phone charged — a dead phone at 11pm in an unfamiliar area is a serious problem. A portable charger and a reliable cable aren't just convenience items
• Light your path — a headlamp keeps your hands free and lights the ground in front of you. Uneven steps, raised curbs, and wet walkways in the dark are a real hazard
• Trust your instincts about locations — if a drop-off address looks wrong or a situation feels off before you get out of the car, it's okay to contact the customer from the car or contact platform support before proceeding

Handling Difficult Situations

Aggressive or threatening customers

If a customer becomes aggressive or threatening, do not engage. Leave the area, get back to your car, and contact platform support to report the incident. Document everything — the address, time, and what happened — as soon as you're safely away. Your dash cam footage may be relevant if a dispute follows.

Unsafe delivery locations

If you arrive at an address and something about the situation feels unsafe — no lights, unusual activity, a location that doesn't match what the app shows — you are not obligated to complete the delivery. Contact support, report what you observed, and move on. No order is worth your safety.

Someone following you

If you believe you're being followed while driving, do not go home. Drive to a populated, well-lit public location — a gas station, a grocery store, a police station — and call 911 if the situation warrants it. Do not try to confront or engage.

Personal Safety Tools

A few inexpensive items worth keeping on you or in your car:

• Personal safety alarm — small, clips to a keychain, 130 decibels. Pulling the pin stops a situation before it escalates. Every driver should have one. See our recommendations →
• Dash cam — records everything that happens around your car, and interior footage protects you in disputes with customers. See the dash cam guide for recommendations.
• Headlamp — hands-free light for dark properties. See the headlamp guide.
• Fully charged phone — keep a portable charger and a reliable cable in your car at all times.

Trust Your Instincts

This is the most important point on this page. If something feels wrong — about a location, a customer, a situation developing around you — trust that feeling and act on it. Leave. Don't second-guess yourself in the moment out of concern for a rating or a delivery completion. Ratings can be explained. Situations that escalate because you ignored your instincts cannot be undone.

The vast majority of shifts are completely uneventful. But knowing what to do when something isn't keeps you safer on every shift — including the ones where nothing happens.