Companies like Uber and Lyft are supposed to hire reliable drivers who get paying passengers where they need to go. Unfortunately, there are those out there that try to abuse the system and the passenger pays the price. While some scams could result in financial loss or a missed appointment, others could result in death. Whether you frequently use a rideshare service or are new to the system, it’s important to be aware of the common scams and how to avoid them.

In Pennsylvania, Uber operates their business under the subsidiary Rasier-PA. In May 2018, the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC) audited the company and determined their driver background check process and safety features were inadequate. There are, however, steps Uber can take to better screen drivers for safety violations and improve riders’ experiences.

Prior to working as a driver for Uber, prospects are required to undergo a series of background checks. This includes their personal information, employment history, motor vehicle record, and criminal record. All the background checks are conducted by Checkr, and a team from Rasier-PA evaluates the results to make a final decision. Once the person has been cleared, they can activate their driver profile and begin accepting rides.

On March 4, 2019, prosecutors in Arizona from the Yavapai County Attorney’s office said they had not found evidence to charge Uber for any crime related to the accident in Tempe, where one of the company’s autonomous vehicles hit and killed a pedestrian.

On March 18, 2019, Elaine Herzberg was hit by one of Uber’s self-driving Volvo sport utility vehicles. The SUV was traveling about 40 miles per hour. At the time, Herzberg had been walking her bicycle across the street at night. Even though the car was driving itself, there was a safety driver in the driver’s seat. When the crash occurred, the safety driver was streaming a television show on her phone. While she grabbed the steering wheel to swerve at the last second, she did not start braking until after impact.

When rideshare services like Uber and Lyft first became popular around 2010, they changed how many individuals were transported in cities and towns on a daily basis. Instead of walking or taking public transportation, people starting using ridesharing apps to order rides. While passengers have generally benefited from the services, there are significant costs associated with ridesharing. Among those costs is an increase in the loss of human life – particularly in big cities.

Economists associated with the University of Chicago Booth School of Business published a study called “The Cost of Convenience: Ridesharing and Traffic Fatalities.” According to that study, ridesharing is associated with an increase of two to three percent of fatal traffic accidents and car accident fatalities. This includes vehicle occupants, pedestrians, cyclists, and bystanders.

A tragedy has struck a college town that is making people examine safety methods when it comes to rideshares. Samantha Josephson entered a car she thought was her Uber around 2 a.m. on March 29 in Columbia, South Carolina. The car was a black Chevrolet Impala. The driver was not Josephson’s Uber driver, and the 21 year old student at the University of South Carolina was reported missing by her friends the next day. Josephson’s body was soon found by two turkey hunters 70 miles away in Clarendon County.

Since then, the police have arrested the driver, 24 year old Nathaniel D. Rowland. They’re charging him with murder and kidnapping, as they found traces of Josephson’s blood in his car, activated child safety locks in the back seat, and discovered Josephson’s phone along with bleach and window cleaner.