For some of us, especially women, the idea of meeting people online and carpooling with complete strangers might not sound like a very good idea. You may be thinking, "how do I make sure it is not some weirdo or creepy stalker?"

The first thing you need to remember is: the majority of users are on thiswebsite for the same reason you are - trying to find a match to carpool with. Most of them are nice, decent people. There might be some people on the website for other reasons and it is very reasonable to have concerns about safety, but we also need to keep them in perspective.

Almost any action we take in life, be it crossing a street, driving a car, or going out to a restaurant, involves some level of risk. After all, you might trip and fall in a crosswalk, get rear-ended by a drunk driver, or end up with food poisoning after a tasty meal. In everyday life, we learn that there are actions we can take to help ensure our safety.

The same is true for meeting people via the Internet. Just as you might look both ways before crossing a street in order to avoid getting hit by a car, so too can you use certain precautions to make your online carpooling adventures safe and enjoyable.
 

Some tips for safety:

In your profile, it is advisable initially not to show your telephone, mobile number, or exact address. Emails could be the means of communicating with potential carpoolers. Once you feel you have found a trustworthy carpooler, you can then exchange numbers and other personal information.

When evaluating other carpooler's profile, try to use your common sense and judgment. For example, carpooling with people who live in the same community/compound that you live in should definitely enhance your safety measures significantly. The same applies to people belonging to the same organization or work place.

When starting a new carpool, make sure a family member or friend knows who the other members of the carpool are, and provide them with basic information such as names, contact information and car license plate number.

Don't let children ride with someone unless you know them personally (this may seem obvious, but still).
 

Still not convinced?

If you still do not feel comfortable carpooling with strangers, you can always benefit from the site's "Carpool only with friends" feature. This feature will match you with people from within your network of friends only. To activate this feature, simply check the box called "Carpool only with friends" when adding a new carpool request or offer.