People who wish to use a rideshare service order a ride through an app on their smartphone. They download the app from the rideshare service, such as Uber, register, and put a payment method on record, such as a credit card. When they order a ride through the app, the app lets the nearest available […]
The services are cheaper and more convenient than taxicabs or other more traditional ride-for-hire services, such as limousines. They are not available everywhere, but several services operate in most urban and suburban areas. Even in rural areas, there are services available in many places.
No one knows whether you are more or less likely to be involved in an accident using a rideshare service. Or, at least, no one is telling. The Chicago Tribune once tried to get statistics regarding accidents, injuries, and fatalities that occurred in the Chicago metro area while using rideshare services. They couldn’t. The rideshare companies might keep such […]
All of the companies require some kind of background check—some require criminal background checks only, while others require full background checks. They all require clean driving records, a personal vehicle (some of the larger companies will help you obtain one), insurance on that vehicle, and a driver’s license.
The answer to this question depends largely upon which ridesharing service you are using. For the two market leaders, the coverage they provide for their drivers is largely the same. For both Uber and Lyft, the company-provided insurance covers injuries suffered in accidents for which their driver is liable so long as the app is active […]
Other rideshare services have insurance arrangements with their drivers. Curb, for instance, is not really a rideshare service. It provides passengers with an app they can use to hail a taxicab. Their drivers must have a taxi driver’s license, and Curb provides its drivers with whatever insurance is required by state and local regulations for taxis. Wingz […]
In every state but California, probably not. Or at the least, you can sue, but your odds of success are virtually nil. All of the major rideshare services contend that their drivers are independent contractors, not employees and that the rideshare companies—Uber, Lyft, and Sidecar included—are not liable for the negligence of their drivers. In court, […]
Maybe, maybe not. For most traffic accident injuries, $1 million in coverage is plenty. That is not always true, of course. Further, many smaller ridesharing services don’t provide their drivers with insurance, and just require them to have commercial riders on their personal auto liability policy. Coverage requirements differ and could easily be inadequate. Even […]
