Lyft Accidents Are On The Rise: Everything You Need To Know As A Passenger And Driver

Sometimes it seems as if there are millions of cars working for ridesharing companies such as Lyft and Uber in Philadelphia and all across Pennsylvania – that is how popular this service has become in recent years.

Not long ago, people would not have even imagined that a car could appear in front of their doorstep within 5 minutes after pressing only a few buttons on their cellphone. Today, our life would never be the same if Lyft, Uber and other ridesharing companies vanished all of a sudden.

The popularity of Lyft has been increasing at an exponential rate in recent years, but so has the number of Lyft accidents in Philadelphia, says our Philadelphia Lyft accident lawyer from the Dan Doyle Law Group.

Many people tend to think that ridesharing services are no different from traditional taxies (aside from the fact that you need a phone to get to your destination using Uber or Lyft). But in reality, there are huge differences between how traditional taxies and ridesharing companies operate. And one of the biggest differences is how accidents are handled after a collision on the road.

Why hiring a lawyer is a MUST

Philadelphia laws are far from perfect when it comes to helping Lyft drivers and passengers sue the at-fault party and/or recover compensation. This is large because ridesharing services are a relatively new thing, and lawmakers have not yet established proper legislation.

It takes years and, in some cases, even decades to pass laws that would actually solve problems – not create them – which is why it is critical that you are represented by a Philadelphia Lyft accident lawyer if you have been injured in a ridesharing accident or one of your family members died in a road crash involving Uber, Lyft, or some other ridesharing company.

Why Lyft and Uber are so dangerous

Aside from sexual assaults, theft, and murders, all of which have become very common elements of headlines that mention Lyft and Uber, fatigued and distracted driving could actually lead to the downfall of ridesharing services in the United States and all across the world.

Passengers of ridesharing vehicles have long complained about their Lyft or Uber drivers being visibly tired, inattentive, exhausted, failing to concentrate on the road, and being distracted. Our Philadelphia Lyft accident lawyer explains why fatigue and distracted driving cause ridesharing accidents so often.

Fatigued Lyft drivers are a huge problem

First of all, in order to earn a living or at least make a decent amount of money from transporting passengers, a driver of Lyft or Uber has to spend countless hours on the road, picking up his or her riders and getting them to their destination as quickly as possible.

Not only does it mean that many Lyft and Uber drivers are fatigued, exhausted, and sleep-deprived when driving their vehicle (and you cannot blame them, as many of them perform monotonous and stress-inducing work for 10-12 hours straight), but also means that they are more likely to violate traffic rules, and thus be in a greater risk of a car accident, as it is in their best interests to transport riders one by one as quickly as possible.

Lyft drivers are regular drivers who are constantly late for work

Think of a Lyft driver as a regular car driver who is constantly late for work. That is an accurate description of pretty much all drivers who operate ridesharing vehicles, they are fatigued and seem to be constantly in a hurry. The second problem of ridesharing services is distracted driving.

Wait, is my Lyft driver even paying attention to what is happening in front of his/her vehicle?” you have surely had this thought many times when driving with Lyft. That is because the vast majority of Lyft drivers keep checking their Lyft smartphone application in order to find new riders mid-way, to communicate with their next client, and check their GPS navigator to get you to your destination.

Holding Lyft drivers liable for your injuries: not so simple

But arguably the biggest problem of Lyft and Uber is the fact that you never known if and how a Lyft or Uber driver will be held liable for your injuries. That is because unlike drivers of traditional taxis, Lyft and Uber drivers are not legally required to carry a certain type of insurance policy to cover injuries in case of accidents.

Ridesharing companies only ensure their drivers when they are driving for commercial reasons, which is very rare, says our Philadelphia Lyft accident attorney. Not to mention that it is particularly easy for ridesharing companies to deny insurance coverage to anyone injured in an Uber or Lyft accident if there is even the slightest doubt as to whether the driver was on the clock or not when the accident occurred.

Because of all these factors, you will be required the legal help of an experienced personal injury attorney in Philadelphia or elsewhere in Pennsylvania. And that is where our law firm, Dan Doyle Law Group, comes in handy. Get a free consultation about your particular case by calling our offices at 215-987-3730 or complete this contact form.