A lot of people in Philadelphia find it easy to use ridesharing apps like Uber and Lyft to get around. With a tap on your phone, a car will come pick you up and take you where you need to go. This level of convenience and comfort was previously unthinkable. However, because it’s so easy to use, many people may not think about the serious risks that come with getting into a car driven by someone they don’t know. These services say they take safety steps, but there are still risks and many riders in Philadelphia don’t think they’re that big of a deal.
Complex settlement after an accident
A lot of Philadelphians don’t know about the legal problems that can come up after a rideshare accident. In this kind of situation it’s important to talk to a Philadelphia rideshare accident lawyer who knows how the complicated legal system works.
In fact, rideshare drivers are often self-employed, which makes issues of liability more difficult. Without the right legal help, clients may find it hard to hold the people responsible accountable.
Assaults and harassment by drivers
The fact that drivers might attack or bother passengers is one of the scariest risks of rideshares. Some drivers with malicious intentions still get through the screening process even though their backgrounds are checked.
More and more reports of physical and sexual attacks by rideshare drivers are coming in. Because rideshare companies have limited liability policies, victims often find it hard to report these crimes or get justice. People who choose to use these services often don’t think about this important problem.
Fake rideshare drivers
The rise of fake rideshare drivers is lesser known but just as scary a threat. Criminals have pretended to be Uber or Lyft drivers, especially in busy locations like an airport or a bar. People think these fake drivers are their real drivers because they put up signs or act like they are their assigned drivers.
Once the rider gets into the car without knowing it, they could be robbed, kidnapped or even worse. This kind of risk shows how important it is to check your driver’s information through the app before getting into any car.
Inadequate vehicle maintenance
Many people who use rideshares think that the cars they ride in are in good shape, but this isn’t always the case. In contrast to traditional cab services rideshare vehicles are not inspected regularly by a central authority.
Instead, the drivers are in charge of maintenance, and they may not do repairs that need to be done to save money. This lack of supervision can cause vehicles to break down, which increases the risk of accidents. Passengers might not know about this risk until it’s too late.
The risk of criminal passengers
The drivers are not the only ones who could be dangerous. It can also be dangerous to share rides with other people, especially when using the pool options that services like Uber and Lyft offer.
You might be taking a ride with a stranger in these situations and that person might be up to no good. It has been reported that other passengers have stolen things, been rude or even attacked others, making the vehicle unsafe for everyone. Because the companies are so focused on making shared rides cheaper, they often don’t see these possible threats.
Limited insurance coverage
A lot of riders don’t know that the insurance policies of rideshare companies can be hard to understand and might not fully cover injuries suffered in an accident. Most of the time the rideshare company’s insurance coverage only applies in certain situations, like when the driver is actually transporting a passenger.
If an accident happens while the driver is waiting for a ride request, the riders might not get enough compensation for their injuries because the driver’s insurance might not cover it. Customers who use these services should be aware of this security gap before they use them.
Image by Foundry Co from Pixabay
There are a lot of illegal aliens driving for Uber and Lyft. In Texas you can’t get a drivers licence if illegal so many are using fake credentials or someone elses. As a rideshare driver myself I get a lot of passengers complaining about this. They say the person doesn’t speak English, doesn’t know their way around and drive recklessly. I asked all the passengers with this issue if they complained to Uber or Lyft about this issue and they said yes but rideshare companies don’t care. They just want the money. Also it causes an over saturation of drivers so there are less trips for legitimate drivers.
I have driven for Rideshare platform Uber since 2015. I have completed more than 31000 trips during this time.
Rideshare has become more expensive and while some of these issues do occur, even though Uber has tried to verify the identity of Riders, some users will continue to order rides for friends and acquaintances who may not be qualified to ride. They also have recently tightened rules about cancellation and because of this, pressure is placed on drivers to complete trips they have accepted even if a person shows up for the ride is not the person who ordered the ride.
I would say cancel that ride if “Tiffany”orders a ride and a guy who is 6’3” tall and has face tattoos shows up claiming to be Tiffany wants to get in.
Drivers take a risk every time we pick up a rider. A driver is killed once a week in the United States alone.
The risk of drivers taking unknown riders in their cars is way higher than the passengers risk.
The rider always sit behind the drivers and all the accidents by riders is stabbing or threatening the drivers while rider sits in the back seat where the driver can do nothing to protect himself. Most of the riders are drunk and that even make it worse to the drivers. You only think about the riders.. Please take into consideration the risk of the drivers too. Thank you…