Uber, Lyft Drive Up Accident Rates
May 20, 2019
Tampa, FL (Law Firm Newswire) May 20, 2019 – After reaching a national low in traffic fatalities in 2010, the rising popularity of ride-hailing services has contributed to an increase in roadway accidents and deaths. Victims of accidents involving ride-hailing services have additional complications due to how personal car insurance handles claims for Uber and Lyft drivers.
The recent rise of highly popular ride-hailing services, such as Uber and Lyft, has spurred a rise in accidents in U.S. cities. In 2010, traffic fatalities in the United States reached a low of 32,885, which was the lowest fatality rate since 1949. Those numbers were low partly due to reduced travel during the Great Recession, but a new study shows the rise in popularity of Uber and Lyft has caused a corresponding rise in roadway accidents and fatalities.
Since ride-hailing services gained popularity after 2010, researchers say they have caused an about 3 percent rise in traffic fatalities. Researchers from the University of Chicago and Rice University recently announced findings in a ride-hailing study that used National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data to determine the impact of Uber and Lyft drivers on the nation’s roadways. The study shows a corresponding increase in traffic accidents and fatalities per vehicle miles traveled in U.S. cities.
Accidents involving ride-hailing services generally are more complicated than those with traditional taxi cabs. That is because the Uber and Lyft drivers use their personal vehicles. Personal car insurance, though, does not cover the costs of accidents arising from commercial activities, like those provided by Uber and Lyft drivers.
“The potential for insurers denying claims from accidents involving Uber and Lyft drivers causes more problems for innocent victims of accidents with those drivers,” said experienced car accident attorney Robert T. Joyce. “Even when insurers do pay liability, total costs often exceed coverage limits, and many drivers do not have assets to cover additional damages.”
While a taxi cab has high insurance limits and provides coverage during cab rides, a ride-hailing service is not liable for the costs arising from accidents involving its drivers. That makes Uber and Lyft immune from lawsuits when their drivers cause accidents that injure or kill others. An experienced car accident attorney is an invaluable asset when dealing with the outcome of accidents involving Uber and Lyft drivers, as well as other ride-hailing services.
Joyce and Reyes Law Firm, P.A.
307 S Hyde Park Ave
Tampa, FL 33606
Call: 813.251.2007
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