We know the most common causes of road accidents relate to speeding, drunk driving, driver distraction, and running red lights. Even though these things may also cause some rideshare accidents, there are also several other causes.
Whether you’ve been involved in an accident involving a rideshare service like Uber or Lyft, or you’re simply curious about the safety of using such services, you can learn more about rideshare accident causes below.
Maintenance Failures
A lack of vehicle maintenance can cause some accidents involving Lyft, Uber, or other rideshare services. For example, balding tires might have led to a loss of traction in poor weather conditions, or a tire might have burst, leading to a loss of control.
Engine fires, faulty seatbelts, and several other mechanical problems can also lead to vehicle accidents. If this is the reason for your accident, your chosen rideshare accident attorney can fight for your right for the settlement figure you deserve.
Distracted Driving
Distracted driving is not solely a rideshare accident cause. It’s responsible for several thousand accidents across commuters and those who drive for business alike.
However, rideshare drivers can sometimes have more immediate distractions than the average commuter. They might be playing with their driving phone app, trying to gain new riders, and fiddling with their GPS systems to make sure they’re going to the right place. All of these distractions may contribute to an accident that causes significant injuries for both themselves and their passengers.
Lack of Driving Experience
All Uber drivers must be at least 21 years old with one year of driving experience. Those under 23 years old must have at least three years of driving experience.
However, there can be a significant difference between driving yourself to work or school then home again, and navigating your way around the city with several distractions, picking up passengers. A lack of experience in managing all risks and avoiding distractions may be one of the most common causes of rideshare accidents.
Speeding Between Fares
With people needing to get to their destinations on time, service providers sometimes find themselves with minimal time to spare between fares. This may cause them to speed and use aggressive driving maneuvers, leading to severe injuries and sometimes even death.
Speed and aggressive driving isn’t a rideshare service-specific problem, but it’s still one of many common causes of accidents regarding this specific group.
What Are Rideshare Services Doing About Their Road Safety?
Many rideshare services, like Uber, are taking reasonable steps to keep their drivers and passengers safe. As such, Uber even released a multi-paged safety report which outlined reported accidents, fatalities, and cases of assault.
This report also described their background check processes and a variety of new safety measures they’ve incorporated. Some of these include:
- RideCheck technology
- Speeding alerts
- In-App emergency button
- Share My Trip/Follow My Ride functionality
- Anonymous phone numbers and address
- Driving hours tools
- Real-time ID checks
Not all of these will address the problem of rideshare accidents, but some may be able to lead to an overall safer experience for passengers who simply want to get from A to B in the safest manner possible.
A Rideshare Service Has Failed Me, What Do I Do?
Given how different a rideshare accident can seem from a regular car accident, you may not know what to do after being involved in an accident as the passenger of a rideshare service.
Contact J. Alexander Law Firm today. Our experienced Texas rideshare accident lawyers can work through the intricacies of your case and fight for your right to fair compensation.
