In recent years, ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft have exploded in popularity, especially in major cities like Los Angeles. Simply tap your smartphone, and a driver can arrive within minutes to conveniently transport you wherever you need to go. However, there are growing concerns that these rideshare companies are not doing enough to screen drivers and ensure passenger safety. When negligent rideshare drivers cause accidents and injuries, who should take responsibility?
Rideshare companies portray themselves as neutral technology platforms that merely connect third-party drivers with riders. But critics argue they are actively enabling and profiting from each ride. With inadequate background checks and safety procedures, rideshares allow potentially dangerous drivers onto the roads, jeopardizing public safety.
This article will examine the debate around rideshare safety and accountability. It will look at proposals to strengthen regulations and protocols for driver screening. And it will discuss options for accident victims to pursue justice when harmed by negligent rideshare drivers.
The Rise of Ridesharing
Rideshare companies emerged in the early 2010s as part of the new “sharing economy.” Uber launched in San Francisco in 2011, with Lyft following suit in 2012. The premise was simple: connect ordinary people who need rides with ordinary people willing to provide rides using their own vehicles. Riders could conveniently hail a driver via a smartphone app.
The rideshare model proved enormously popular, disrupting the traditional taxi industry. By 2017, Uber had provided over 5 billion trips globally. Today, Uber and Lyft are ubiquitous, especially in major cities like Los Angeles. A 2019 survey found that 36% of Los Angeles residents had used rideshares in the past month.
Concerns Over Safety and Negligent Drivers
However, the stunning growth of rideshares has not been without controversy. Critics have raised concerns about inadequate driver vetting processes as well as a lack of regulatory oversight.
Unlike taxi companies, rideshare services typically do not fingerprint drivers or require them to undergo drug testing. Their background checks have also been criticized as cursory and ineffective. For example, Uber and Lyft’s checks use court records and other databases to screen potential drivers. But they often fail to catch drivers with dangerous red flags in their past.
Critics argue this inadequate screening allows negligent and dangerous drivers on the platforms, putting customer safety at risk. Rideshare companies have resisted calls for stricter background check requirements, citing privacy concerns and the desire to onboard drivers quickly. However, many argue that passenger safety should be the top priority.
Questioning Responsibility and Liability
When a negligent rideshare driver causes an accident, who should take responsibility? The rideshare companies? Or the drivers themselves?
Rideshare companies often claim they are simply technology platforms connecting third-party drivers with passengers. In their terms of service, they typically disclaim liability for drivers’ actions.
However, critics argue that rideshare companies cannot so easily abdicate responsibility. They vet and approve each driver on their platform. They set standards for driver eligibility. They profit from each ride that drivers provide.
Given this integral role, many argue rideshare companies should bear responsibility when their drivers cause harm. Rideshare companies want to benefit from classifying drivers as independent contractors rather than employees. But they still maintain substantial control over account approval and removal. If rideshares retain power to decide who can drive on their platform, critics say they also retain duties to diligently screen and monitor those drivers.
Additionally, the causal link between rideshare negligence and passenger harm can often be established. For example, approving a driver with past DUIs can directly enable drunk driving that injures a passenger. Failing to investigate assault complaints about a driver can lead to repeated passenger assaults. Courts have found such foreseeable consequences relevant when determining rideshare liability.
Calls for Stricter Safety Regulations
In response to safety concerns, lawmakers and advocacy groups have called for stricter regulations of rideshares:
- Mandatory fingerprint-based background checks for all drivers, as required for taxi drivers in many places.
- Drug and alcohol testing protocols.
- Regular motor vehicle record checks even after hiring.
- Zero tolerance policies for drivers with serious criminal histories.
- Real-time identification of drivers and tracking of ride routes for greater transparency and accountability.
- Established procedures to thoroughly investigate and respond to rider complaints and incidents.
Implementing such policies would better screen negligent drivers and hold rideshares accountable for enforcing passenger safety, proponents argue.
Holding Rideshares Responsible
Rideshare accident lawsuits offer one avenue for holding these companies legally and financially accountable for negligence that leads to injuries or deaths.
Accident victims and families can hire a personal injury or wrongful death lawyer Los Angeles and file claims asserting:
- Negligent hiring and supervision of unsafe drivers
- Negligent training procedures
- Failure to adequately screen driver backgrounds
- Failure to monitor and remove dangerous drivers
If victims can establish a sufficient connection between the rideshare company’s negligence and the driver’s harmful actions, courts may find the companies bear responsibility.
The Bottom Line
Convenience should not come at the cost of consumer safety. As ridesharing continues to grow in popularity, increased scrutiny and standards are needed to protect passengers from negligent drivers.
Rideshare companies that fail to adequately screen, monitor and supervise their drivers should be held legally and financially responsible for the safety of customers under their care. It’s the only way that improvements will be made in rideshare hiring.
Contact Us Today
Due to the complexities surrounding rideshare accidents, it’s vital to contact a personal injury lawyer or Los Angeles wrongful death attorney to help with your claim. Experienced attorneys will be able to take a look at the evidence and determine your legal options if you’ve been harmed, or a loved one has been killed, by a negligent rideshare driver.
If you’ve been injured and want to seek compensation for your injuries, contact the experienced legal team at Karns & Karns Personal Injury and Accident Attorneys today for a free consultation at 800-4THE-WIN (800-484-3946). Justice should be available to all victims, regardless of circumstance, and we will do our utmost to obtain the compensation you rightfully deserve.
