With the holidays in full swing and the month filling up with parties and other events, you may be more likely to rely on Lyft or Uber to transport you around town. But before you get into that passenger vehicle, be mindful about some recent news headlines involving these companies, and pay attention to who is sitting behind the wheel.
In Scottsdale, Arizona recently, a man called police after discovering that his Uber driver appeared to be intoxicated. The passenger said his driver missed turns, put the vehicle into reverse in the middle of the road, and otherwise was slow to make maneuvers. The passenger said he recorded his conversation with the Uber driver, which he later turned over to Uber along with a request to have the driver suspended. The passenger also called 9-1-1 that evening; police later pulled over and arrested the Uber driver for DUI.
In Colorado, the state’s Public Utilities Commission recently announced that it has ordered Uber’s parent company to pay an $8.9M penalty for allowing persons with serious criminal backgrounds to drive for Uber. According to the Commission, the ride-sharing service allowed those with felony convictions, major moving violations, DUI penalties, and other driver’s license issues drive for them. The Commission said Uber also failed to identify drivers who were using aliases.
Spokespersons for Uber have said that they are working to resolve the errors in the company’s background check process and that they have a zero-tolerance policy for drunken driving. Still, with many people using driver services like Lyft and Uber during the holidays, it is important to be proactive about who is driving you around. Make sure the person behind the wheel matches the driver’s photo on the phone app. Pay attention to your driver’s behavior on the road. Also remember that if you feel uncomfortable or frightened in the vehicle, it is always okay to cancel the ride and/or call 9-1-1. Your safety comes first.
If you, or someone you know, has been injured in a collision and need help with your personal injury case, call Atlanta Personal Injury Law Group - Gore at (404) 436-1529 to schedule a free personal injury consultation.