Uber and Lyft Rideshare Accident Statistics: Your Legal Rights

Uber and Lyft Rideshare Accident Statistics: Your Legal Rights

Apr 15, 2021

The popularity of rideshare services has grown exponentially over the past few years. While many riders utilize Uber and Lyft as their primary means of transportation for commuting to and from work, those of us who own cars also frequently use these apps for convenience. In 2018, CNBC rated Uber 2nd on its list of ‘Most Disruptive Companies in the World,’ with Elon Musk’s SpaceX being the only company to receive a higher rating.

According to data released by Forbes, the number of annual Uber trips has increased substantially since 2014:

• 2014: 140 million
• 2015: data unavailable
• 2016: 1.8 billion
• 2017: 3.7 billion
• 2018: 5.2 billion
• 2019: 6.9 billion

Lyft came onto the rideshare scene shortly after Uber, and as of March 2021 is reported to have a 32% market share in the U.S., with over 12 million riders accessing the app every quarter. As the number of Uber and Lyft rides have increased, so have the number of rideshare accidents – many leading to severe or catastrophic injuries and even fatalities. Let’s take a look at some important rideshare accident statistics that can help keep you safe and informed. We’ll also examine how to file a claim after suffering an injury, and review what is involved in pursuing a civil lawsuit to secure justice and make a complete recovery – both physically and financially.

If you experienced a Rideshare Accident injury, don’t wait to file a claim. Contact our expert attorneys online or by phone for a free consultation today.

Important Uber and Lyft Rideshare Accident Statistics

The University of Chicago Booth School of Business recently conducted an in-depth study analyzing the onset of ridesharing apps and ride-hailing popularity and a resulting increase in the number of motor vehicle accidents and fatalities. The study indicated that rideshare services like Uber and Lyft have led to a 3% increase in overall car accident fatalities.

Researchers determined this figure by reviewing the eight financial quarters for both companies before and after their rollout dates, and looked at the popularity of rideshare usage between 2010 and 2016 by analyzing traffic volume, preferred methods of transportation, and overall number of car accidents. The University of Chicago’s rideshare accident report also included statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and compared accident rates in various major cities where the rideshare apps were first launched (relative to the total number of vehicle miles traveled).

The study’s findings reveal some troubling statistics:

• Nearly 1,000 daily car accident deaths are due to the increasing number of rideshare vehicles on the road.
• Uber vehicles were involved in 97 fatal crashes between 2017 and 2018.
• Those crashes led to 107 total deaths.
• 21% of those crash victims were riders
• 21% of those crash victims were drivers.
• The remaining 58% of those crash victims were third party drivers or passengers.

The upshot of the rideshare accident report is an increased likelihood of experiencing a serious or fatal crash, regardless of whether you’re a rideshare driver, passenger, or traveling in a third party vehicle. While rideshare apps are convenient and essential modes of transportation for many, the increased popularity has essentially made our roads more dangerous by increasing the number of fatalities resulting due to Uber and Lyft accidents.

Some other key findings from the report include:

• The increase in rideshare accidents seems to persist (and in many cases increase) over time.
• The accident rate has remained steady throughout weekdays, weeknights, weekend days, and weekend nights.
• In 2010, the number of roadway deaths in the U.S. was at the lowest level since 1949 – with 32,885 fatalities reported.
• In 2016, that roadway death figure increased significantly to over 37,400.
• Accidents occurring at drop-off and pickup points are also increasing.
• Ridesharing app usage increase is directly correlated to more cars on the road and more accidents, injuries, and fatalities involving all types of travelers: drivers, passengers, bicyclists, and pedestrians.

The study also points out that an increase in rideshare accidents is due not just to more rides being hailed by app users, but to Uber and Lyft drivers simply spending a considerable amount of time on the roads. It’s important to keep in mind that rideshare drivers don’t spend their time solely driving passengers from place to place. Roughly 40% to 60% of the time rideshare drivers are either traveling to retrieve passengers or searching for new passengers (waiting for a rider to purchase a trip). Additionally, rideshare users in major cities are more at risk for accidents, with 90% of Uber accidents occurring in urban areas. And in cities like Los Angeles, the increase in rideshare traffic isn’t always a substitute for what would otherwise have been a trip in a car (i.e. rideshare requests often take the place of public transportation trips). “Surveys report that fewer than half of [rideshare] rides in nine metro areas actually substitute for a trip that someone would have made in a car,” according to the study.

Rideshare Accident Statistics in Los Angeles

In 2017, over 92,000 residents of Los Angeles County were injured or killed in traffic collisions. With more than 60,000 annual accidents, that equals around 164 car crashes every single day. In 2010, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health reported that motor vehicle traffic injuries were the 3rd leading cause of death, hospitalizations, and emergency room visits among Angelenos.

Statistics confirming the number of annual Uber and Lyft accidents occurring in Los Angeles and throughout California are difficult to determine, largely because these rideshare companies prefer to keep such information out of the public eye. While studies are ongoing, no official statistics exist to indicate precisely how many Uber and Lyft accidents occur every year in Los Angles. Moreover, no figures are currently available to provide context as the severity or type of such accidents. However, a number of Los Angeles-area Uber and Lyft accidents have recently made news headlines.

Examples of Los Angeles Uber and Lyft Accidents

1. In March 2020, two Lyft passengers filed a civil lawsuit alleging that, while on a harrowing 2019 ride, their driver acted recklessly by driving at high speeds and ignoring their demands to stop and allow them to exit the vehicle (despite expressing fear for their safety). The reckless Lyft driver reportedly collided with another vehicle in Burbank. The lawsuit alleges reckless endangerment, negligence, and both intentional and negligent misrepresentation. The claimants are reportedly seeking unspecified damages.
2. A few years ago, an Uber driver was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol and eventually charged with manslaughter after a crash led to the death of a 20-year-old passenger.
3. In 2015, five people were injured after the Uber SUV they were traveling in crashed into an oncoming car and rolled over. The rollover accident occurred at the intersection of La Cienega Boulevard and Olympic Boulevard in the Carthay area of Los Angeles, just after 4 a.m. All four Uber passengers were transported to the hospital for treatment, with two of the injuries being initially described as critical (later confirmed as moderate). The driver of the vehicle that did not include the Uber users was investigated for possibly driving under the influence.
4. Another Los Angeles Uber accident involved a reportedly intoxicated driver running a red light and committing a hit-and-run. In this particular accident, the Uber driver was killed and the passenger seriously injured. The fatal Uber crash occurred at the intersection of Arlington Avenue and Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in the early morning hours of Jan. 14, 2017. The impaired driver was reportedly sentenced to 15 years to life in prison after being found guilty of murder in a hit-and-run crash.

Ready to file a claim and pursue justice through a financial damages award? Our expert attorneys are available online or by phone now.

National Uber Driver Incidents

Rideshare accidents are, of course, not unique to Los Angeles. Perhaps the most notorious incident involving an Uber driver took place in Michigan in 2016. Justin Dalton, 45 at the time of the incident, went on a shooting rampage that left six riders dead and two severely injured. The tragic story made worldwide headlines, and left rideshare users reeling. In 2019, Dalton was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Who is Liable in an Uber or Lyft Rideshare Accident?

As is the case with all California motor vehicle accidents, liability for injuries or fatalities is determined according to fault (whether intentional or unintentional). Uber and Lyft stipulate that drivers carry private liability coverage and uninsured/underinsured insurance up to $1 million per accident. Additionally, Uber and Lyft carry third party liability insurance coverage that pays up to $1 million per accident for any personal injuries or property damage. These third party policies are only applicable after the ridesharing driver’s own insurance has been exhausted.

If the rideshare driver was not officially logged into the respective Uber or Lyft app, or off duty during the accident (i.e. not transporting a paying passenger/customer), damages for injuries or fatalities would likely be covered by the driver’s personal insurance policy. If the rideshare driver was logged into the app and was transporting a passenger, the company insurance policy would cover any injury or fatality resulting from the accident.

For claims involving injuries – whether minor or severe – the experienced and dedicated Uber and Lyft rideshare lawyers at Dordulian Law Group can help you file a personal injury claim seeking to recover financial damages for things like medical bills, pain and suffering, reduced quality of life, emotional or physical trauma, lost wages, vehicle damage or replacement, and much more. For claims involving a fatality, various surviving family members or dependents may be eligible to file a wrongful death lawsuit seeking to recover various damages, including the decedent’s medical expenses prior to death, funeral costs, funeral or burial expenses, loss of companionship, and much more. The wrongful death lawyers at Dordulian Law Group have extensive experience successfully handling various types of wrongful death cases, including car accidents.

Proving liability in a rideshare accident is a task best left to qualified rideshare accident law firms and their attorneys, as companies like Uber and Lyft will likely deploy a team of lawyers and insurance representatives in an effort to fight your claim. At Dordulian Law Group, in addition to providing clients with premier rideshare accident representation, we also utilize a team of expert investigators, including retired LAPD detective, Moses Castillo, on each and every Uber or Lyft case. Castillo ensures our clients have a unique advantage, and uses his years of experience and specialized skill set acquired as a former decorated detective with the Los Angeles Police Department’s elite Central Traffic Division to uncover every piece of evidence that will help prove a case.

If you’ve suffered an injury in an Uber or Lyft car accident, do not settle for anything less than the DLG advantage. Placing your claim in inexperienced hands can be the difference between hundreds of thousands (or even millions) of dollars recovered in a financial damages award. To learn more about the unique advantages available through Dordulian Law Group, reach out to a member of our team day or night, 24/7 at 818-322-4056.

Uber and Lyft Sexual Assault Statistics

At the end of 2019, Uber released a safety report announcing that, in the face of mounting sexual assault lawsuits, the company would be “embarking on a new chapter of transparency, connectivity, and community right here in the city [San Francisco] we call home.” Unfortunately, statistics related to accidents resulting in injuries or fatalities were largely ignored in said report, apart from noting that between 2017 and 2018 107 people were killed in vehicular accidents related to Uber’s services.

Instead, Uber’s safety report focused on the 5,981 accounts of sexual assault and 19 fatal physical assaults that occurred during that same time period. We raise this point simply as a reminder that rideshare passengers and drivers should remain vigilant at all times for possible sexual predators. If you have experienced any type of rideshare sexual assault or harassment as an Uber or Lyft passenger or driver, Dordulian Law Group is the premier sex crime law firm in the United States, and we will fight to ensure justice is obtained.

We have successfully recovered countless multimillion-dollar settlements for our clients, including claims involving rideshare sexual assault survivors, and are here to here to help ensure your case reaches a successful outcome. For additional information about filing a rideshare sexual assault claim and seeking a maximum financial damages award, or to speak with a member of our SAJE Team (Sexual Assault Justice Experts), please contact us at tour convenience. When you’re ready to come forward, we’re here to listen and prepared to fight for justice and maximum compensation on your behalf.

Our Sexual Assault Justice Experts are here to help survivors secure justice. Contact our top-rated attorneys online or by phone for a free consultation today.

Why Dordulian Law Group is the Best Choice for Your Rideshare Accident Case

Dordulian Law Group was founded by former Deputy District Attorney for Los Angeles County and sex crime prosecutor, Sam Dordulian. Together with his team of skilled and dedicated rideshare accident attorneys, investigators, and advocates, Dordulian has created the premier law firm for individuals injured or killed in rideshare accidents, as well as survivors of rideshare sexual assault. To counter the various tactics used by massive insurance companies attempting to reduce payouts for injured victims, we hired a talented lawyer with a specific skill set, Arpineh Yeremian, who spent 10 years as an insurance defense attorney. Yeremian is yet another advantage provided to DLG clients, as her experience and understanding of the tricks and secrets employed by insurance companies is an invaluable asset that will now be used against them to ensure the best outcome is reached in every case. If you’ve been injured in a rideshare incident, the most important decision you can make is choosing the best firm to unconditionally represent your interests. You deserve a firm that has experience handling your type of case, and will pursue the claim with professionalism, integrity, and compassion.

Contact us today online or by phone at 818-322-4056. With the DLG advantage, you never have to worry about upfront costs, out-of-pocket expenses, or hidden fees. With our no win/no fee guarantee, you pay nothing until we successfully recover a maximum financial damages award on your behalf. To date, we have recovered over $100,000,000 in settlements and verdicts for injured victims like you. When you’re ready to take that first step towards securing justice and obtaining the financial compensation you deserve, we’re ready to do the same for you. For a California rideshare accident or injury, don’t settle for anything but D-L-G.