How Common Are UBER/LYFT Accidents?
In 2024, Uber reported over 7.1 million drivers and couriers working for the company. Lyft adds another 2 million to the mix, bringing the total number of vehicles on the road for just the two largest rideshare companies close to 10 million. In addition, these two businesses claim that they have nearly 180 million active riders. What that translates to is nearly 190 million people who are in some way interacting with the two largest rideshare companies in the United States who could be facing harm because of the lack of safety and training of drivers, careful screening of passengers, or the hours worked by the drivers operating the over 10 million rideshare vehicles on our country’s roadways.
What These Rideshare Companies Are Willing to Admit
Both of the big rideshare companies are quick to tout the number of rides they provide each year to help keep drunk drivers or overly tired drivers from getting behind the wheel. They want riders and potential riders to focus on the number of successful and incident-free rides they complete. However, both rideshares admit that each company is involved in around 100 fatal accidents each year. In addition, there are hundreds of riders who report being sexually assaulted by their Uber or Lyft driver each year, with many cases being settled before they reach the court system.
What Is Not Common Knowledge for Rideshare Passengers
Uber released information regarding accidents in 2017 and 2018. Over that time, Uber drivers were involved in over 3,600 serious vehicle accidents, with more than 2,000 incidents requiring the passenger and driver to seek medical care, including hospitalization. In addition, the company admitted that 573 of those crashes resulted in a loss of life.
While the majority of these fatal accidents occurred in urban areas and near large metro areas, the increase was widespread and marked an increase of nearly 40% over the previous year. Passengers electing to use rideshare for any reason should carefully consider their choice and understand that the requirements to drive for these companies are in no way related to the driver’s skill. Instead, the company is more interested in the size and age of the car to be driven, the driver having a smartphone and photo ID, and proof of vehicle insurance. Of course, they include a criminal background check and driving record confirmation. However, there is no training or skills test that the driver must pass to become an Uber or Lyft driver.
Contributing Factors to Consider
Driving for a rideshare has become a new career plan for many people in larger metro areas. However, most are unable to earn a living working for a single service, which might limit their work time and availability. The workaround for many is driving for both Uber and Lyft to increase their hours on the road and the potential to earn a reasonable living. So, when you see a rideshare driver who is displaying both the Uber and Lyft logos, realize that this person could be experiencing more driver fatigue and decreased reaction time due to lack of sleep and focus which increases the possibility of a vehicle accident that could result in severe injuries.