Rideshare services claim to make the roads safer. By offering on-demand transportation to people who don’t know the area or who are not in a state to drive safely, they can potentially reduce the risk of major collisions.
In practice, rideshare vehicles can actually cause collisions. Rideshare drivers sometimes make choices that put their passengers and others on the road at risk of a wreck. In those circumstances, their passengers may have a very complicated process ahead as they seek compensation.
What choices and actions by rideshare drivers may increase the likelihood of a preventable collision?
1. Moonlighting after a full-time job
For many rideshare drivers, transporting passengers is a part-time supplement to their full-time career. They may drive in the evenings or on the weekends when they do not work their main jobs. Unfortunately, working more than one job may diminish how much time a driver has to adequately rest. Fatigued drivers could fall asleep while transporting passengers or may experience diminished driving skills because of their exhaustion.
2. Driving too aggressively
Rideshare drivers want to complete as many trips as they can. Additionally, passengers may offer additional tips for drivers who help them reach their destinations as quickly as possible. The financial incentive to finish the trip quickly may lead to aggressive driving. Rideshare drivers might roll through stop signs, exceed the speed limit and repeatedly change lanes. The more aggressive a driver is, the more likely they are to cause a crash. Additionally, other drivers may have a difficult time predicting how they intend to maneuver, which can also increase crash risk.
3. Parking in inappropriate locations
Passengers may need to enter a rideshare vehicle at a busy location, such as just outside of a popular venue. They may ask to get dropped off at locations where there isn’t readily available on-street parking. Rideshare drivers often choose to park in questionable locations for the sake of convenience and efficiency. They put themselves and their passengers at risk of a collision, as other motorists could strike the stopped vehicle.
People involved in rideshare collisions may sustain property damage losses, medical expenses and even have lost wages to address. Reviewing the circumstances of a rideshare crash with a skilled legal team can help passengers evaluate their options for financial compensation after a wreck.