The laws pertaining to rideshare services and auto accidents are continuously evolving, as this is a relatively new area of law. As a result, it can be confusing to navigate this legal field in the event of a wreck. If you’ve been hit by an Uber vehicle as a pedestrian, you may be wondering about your legal rights and options. Our Uber accident lawyers can investigate your case and answer any questions you may have.

Pedestrian Accident Statistics

When you head outside on foot, whether you’re commuting to work, running errands, or simply taking a walk, you may find yourself vulnerable to the traffic buzzing nearby. Pedestrians are at risk of being struck by a vehicle in a number of different situations, most of which are caused by driver negligence. The accident rates may be even higher than you realize.

Rideshare companies like Uber are becoming a commonly used option for people all over the country. It’s not just for major cities—plenty of towns and suburbs have Uber as well. With this service readily available in so many places, Uber is starting to disrupt individually bought car insurance. This monumental industry may not be so monumental in the future, because now there are options to get insurance strictly for rideshare companies.

A startup company called Sure Inc. has paired with Chubb Ltd. so they can break into this new area of the car industry. They’re selling rideshare car insurance for the costs in case the rider is involved in a car accident while they’re using a company like Uber.

There are a variety of benefits to ridesharing services like Uber. Along with providing people convenient and reliable transportation, Uber it typically cost-effective. With every pro, however, there’s a chance for a con. Before confirming your ride, it’s important to understand how Uber works, what they’re striving to provide, and what your rights are as a passenger.

Uber has provided over 5 billion rides in 633 cities all around the world. With numbers like that, there are bound to be occasional issues. They strive to make transportation safer, more accessible, and more affordable. But with news coverage on accidents, assaults, and even deaths related to their services and drivers, it’s important to recognize that there are guidelines and regulations established to provide you with the ride you deserve.

With the popularity of ridesharing services like Uber and Lyft increasing, it’s important to understand how these companies work so you can benefit from the service they provide. Media coverage has a lot to say about these companies, and not everything you hear is true. Below you’ll find some of the most common myths about Lyft and Uber, and where they fall on the true or false scale.

Myth #1: Lyft and Uber drivers don’t do perform background checks on their drivers.

Before you can drive for Lyft or Uber, they’ll want you full name, birthdate, Social Security number, driver’s license number, car insurance information, and proof that your vehicle is inspected and safe.

Both companies use this information to perform background checks; however, the checks might not be as comprehensive as they could be. Both companies use third-party screening to perform background checks. Uber uses Checkr and Lyft uses Sterling BackCheck. While both of these checks comply with state and federal standards, FBI backgrounds check may contain more information.

Rideshare companies have been facing several issues lately. There have been reported incidences of sexual assault from drivers, discrimination, the hiring and training process, and keeping records of these events. But there’s also another major issue: driver imposters.

People are posing as drivers for major rideshare companies like Uber and Lyft and scamming people by having them swipe their credit cards before they get to their destination. The people being scammed are paying much more than what they would with the regulated companies. It’s also terrifying to think they were in a car with a stranger who wasn’t verified by these companies at all.