It is a common fact that Los Angeles is a city built around cars. This city is built with freeways and multi-lane highways taking us wherever we need to be. At any given time, traffic is heavy and there is a sea of cars on the road. In this city, its important that Drivers and Passengers know the Pros and Cons of Ridesharing in Los Angeles.
Ridesharing has become a popular industry in recent years that many of us not only find to be a major convenience but have also come to rely on. Typically in years past, mass transit and taxi services were what we relied on when it came to getting from place to place, especially if you didn’t have your own vehicle. Not all cities have the resources to accommodate a taxi or reliable mass transit, and timetables and schedules can be confusing. Taxis are also notoriously expensive and not always available depending on the size of your city.
It was a golden moment when rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft came around, it was a moment that opened up all sorts of possibilities. With Ridesharing, you could call for a ride in just about any city where rideshare apps were active and nearly anyone with a vehicle and a clean motor vehicle record could run their own business from their own car. Entrepreneurship and transportation issues were promptly solved for many Angelenos.
Rideshare drivers don’t have the type of enhanced scrutiny that some other transportation professionals are required to have. These drivers are mainly required to have a safe, properly working vehicle, a valid driver’s license, and they are insured by the company they are driving for. Often, rideshare drivers drive for multiple rideshare services. Other than a bright sign in their window, it isn’t much different than calling up someone you know to drive you across town.
Injuries
Unfortunately, with so many vehicles on the road, accidents are common, and subsequent injuries are frequent in Los Angeles. Passengers engaging a driver for ridesharing don’t know your driver’s skill level until they are on the road, and even then have little control. There have been many reports of rideshare drivers being erratic or dangerous on the roads. Although passengers can rate drivers, a driver’s rating won’t always reflect that, particularly if their rating of the passenger could be retaliatory. Furthermore, frequently poor rating goes unreported, leaving you to take a chance with whoever pulls up.
Some vehicles have higher safety standards than others, which is why taxi companies and car/limo services invest in specific models that are built to withstand an impact. Their safety devices such as airbags and seatbelts are also routinely inspected, which is much more than can be said of a lot of rideshare vehicles as many times these vehicles used for ride sharing are the drivers personal vehicle.
Lastly, a negligent driver can lead to injuries to pedestrians, bicycle riders, and other drivers as well as bystanders who are not injured directly, but merely witnessed an accident that can be very traumatic.
Insurance
Typically, rideshare services provide insurance for their drivers, but there are some limitations to this. Many rideshare services offer insurance on a tiered scale. Depending on how much investment the driver has in the rideshare service determines how much insurance they carry on their vehicle. This is all part of understanding the Pros and Cons of Ridesharing in Los Angeles.
Most rideshares, such as Lyft or Uber, provide full coverage insurance for the vehicle, which will cover collision as well as limited liability to medical bills/emergency services for passengers and/or anyone who has been hurt by the vehicle in an accident. This is usually only activated while the app is in service and the driver is either on the way to a pickup, or has a passenger.
Any time before or after actually riding in their vehicle is covered only by additional insurance they have purchased themselves or through the rideshare service. This leaves you vulnerable to no coverage or being under-covered by insurance if you are injured. Its important for victims to remember that they are only covered by the rideshare drivers insurance while you are actively hiring the driver. As for potential drivers, you are only covered by that insurance while you are driving, not while you are on your way to pick up a fare or on your way home.
Contact us
If you have been injured in an accident while using a rideshare app in the Los Angeles area, you need the support of an expert Uber accident attorney or Lyft accident or rideshare accident attorney to protect your rights. The law is a tricky landscape to navigate, and going about it on your own can be confusing, frustrating, and even limit your ability to successfully argue a case.
Contact us today and let us help you.
