Tuk Tuk Safety Tips

Tuk tuks are a primary source of transportation in many countries in Southeast Asia. They’re cheap, quick and easy to find. That doesn’t mean they’re particularly safe. Keep these things in mind when choosing one as your preferred vehicle.

Hold on Tight
Tuk tuks tend not to have seatbelts. This, combined with extremely bumpy roads and crazy traffic, means you’d better hold on tight unless you want to go for tumble into the street. They aren’t capable of truly high speeds, but you still don’t want to go flying when your driver slams on the brakes.

Negotiate Your Fare
Tuk tuk drivers are notorious for trying to drive up the fares on unsuspecting tourists. While many of them are fair, making a livable wage in some countries is difficult and they tend to scramble for an extra dime. Keep in mind that a ride less than three miles should never run you more than 100 baht, and even that’s pushing it.

Beware of Pressure
Some tuk tuk drivers are not on the up and up and will take you to stops out of your way to try and pressure you into buying goods from their friends’ shops. When negotiating a fare, make sure you’re firm on the place you want to go and you want no stops. If they get pushy, find another ride.

Group Up
There’s safety in numbers, so if you can find someone else heading to the same place you should tag team and share a tuk tuk together. This way you have more bargaining power and if you get left stranded (which rarely happens) you won’t be left alone.

No Tuk Tuks in Bangkok
Bangkok traffic is the stuff of nightmares. For your own safety and sanity never get inside a tuk tuk in this city. You will regret it.