Rideshare Insurance & Driver Safety Records

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When people get into an Uber or Lyft and suffer an accident while riding, they might ask themselves how do I file an insurance claim against Uber? Or wonder what sort of insurance coverage does Uber or Lyft maintain? Common questions like what kind of training or safety courses their Uber/Lyft driver took before getting into a wreck and what should you do after being in an uber accident need answering.

Rideshare Insurance and Safety

Uber Insurance Policy Information

The industry calls it Rideshare Insurance but for the purposes of this page, we will call it Uber Insurance and Lyft Insurance as those two companies perform the vast majority of all rideshare services. Typically, an Uber or Lyft insurance policy provides coverage against Liability, Property, Third Party Liability, Uninsured Motorist, and Underinsured Motorist coverages. The scope and amounts of these coverages will vary depending on which stage or phase of a ride the Driver and Passenger are experiencing. We will dive into those phases later in the article.

One million dollars is the figure most often seen for third-party liability, uninsured motorist coverage, and underinsured motorist coverage while the Uber is on the way to pick up the rider and through the duration of the customer’s ride and until they have been dropped off. $1M Uber Insurance claims from an accident with an Uber is not unheard of. And according to rideshare driver safety studies, most often the uber driver is not at fault.

Rideshare Licensing and Safety

Rideshare services, Uber and Lyft, have three common components in their structure. The driver’s use their personal automobiles, the drivers contract with the companies, and services such as transportation or an uber ride are scheduled through a mobile application that connects the riders and available drivers. A typical start to finish Uber ride might look something like this:

– Passenger needs a ride

o Opens Uber App / Opens Lyft App
o Enters destination
– Some people will look at the prices of both companies before selecting which rideshare service they will be using.
o Select the service – Uber, UberX, UberXL, Uber Black (luxury), carpooling, etc.
o Confirm the point or address to be picked up

– Uber Driver

o Once a passenger hails for a ride, a driver may accept the ride while finishing another ride or accept the ride while they are waiting idly
o The driver’s information including type/color of car, license plate number, driver’s name, driver rating, ETA, and notifications of arrival, will all be sent to the passenger who hailed a ride.

– Passenger Enters Uber

o While riding, there is a panic button on the Uber app that allows for a rider to call emergency services like 911
o The rider may also look at more information about their driver in the Uber Application
o Upon ride completion, the passenger may leave a tip (electronically through the app), give the driver a rating, and the driver may also give the customer a rating.

Uber Driver Background Checks & Zero Tolerance

Amongst Uber and Lyft, there are many common universal requirements to become and maintain a position as a driver for either company. Common amongst the two companies are policies that require:

– zero tolerance for drugs and alcohol use, while driving on behalf of the companies
– Criminal background checks

o These may vary on how far the look-back goes.
o Nearly all states ban drivers who have appeared or appear on the Sex Offender Registry.

– Uber and Lyft Drivers must maintain valid driver’s licenses.
– Uber and Lyft Drivers must maintain valid personal auto insurance.
– Display placard of various size, logo style, in the windshield or dash of the vehicle. Size, location, and style may vary by state or city.

Uber Driver Background Check after Accident

Despite performing criminal background checks on drivers when they initially sign up to drive, there are fewer universal requirements about subsequent background checks and driver history checks. Uber driver history checks may not be performed for several years after their initial check-in some instances. Uber driver background checks do not have uniform rules on when a subsequent criminal history report is supposed to be run.

Did you think, “My Uber driver was really tired” or ever wondered how many hours your driver had been working that day or week for Uber? After all, some drivers are full time Uber drivers, even if not considered employees by Uber. There is no universal guideline nationwide on how many hours a driver can drive. Generally, it could not be more than 16 in a 24-hour period, you could log in for 12 consecutive hours, be auto logged out for 8 hours, then login again for 4 more hours totaling 16 hours.

After an accident, you tried to run a background check on your Uber driver, or wondered about his or her physical fitness or medical fitness. Currently, there are prohibitions on drivers operating if impaired by illness, fatigue, prescription medications, over-the-counter medications, her impairment concerns. But there are no rules on medical fitness to drive or having to take an eye exam or hearing exam. Having sound hearing and eyesight is essential to perform the job of a Uber driver without negligence. If your driver was handicapped in eyesight or hearing, or impaired for another reason, Uber the company let you down.

Talk to a Rideshare Injury Lawyer

When you or a loved one has suffered severe injuries after being involved in an accident while riding in an Uber, Lyft, or other rideshares, you need to talk to an experienced law firm who will help you maximize your recovery. After a Uber or Lyft accident, investigating the accident and preserving evidence for a successful claim against their insurance providers is critical. If you are wondering where to begin, contact our firm today for a private and free case consultation. Our attorneys can quickly determine if a Uber lawsuit, Lyft lawsuit, or claim against one of the insurance providers is the best course of action for you and your family. Fill out the form on this page or call us today at 1-800-883-9858.

Our injury law office has helped many critically wounded clients nationwide recover money for Uber and Lyft injuries. David P. Willis is board certified as a personal injury trial law specialist. We’ve put in a lot of effort to get the best results for our clients, and we’ll do the same for you and your loved ones. Call us at 713-654-4040 or 1-800-883-9858. Schedule a free case review with our Houston injury firm today to learn how we can help your injury claim.