One of the first safety lessons our parents taught us growing up was never to take a ride with a stranger.
Now, as adults, many of us do just that when we log onto our phones and click for an Uber or Lyft. These are the two most popular companies that have revolutionized the rideshare industry.
The convenience of ordering a ride through an app and the rapid accessibility make these rides a popular option for airport runs to O’Hare, shopping, or a night on the town in the Windy City. Of course, as with any type of car ride, there will be risks when taking an Uber or a Lyft. Both companies conduct background checks on their drivers, but that doesn’t make the driver immune from getting into an accident.
If you get into an accident involving an Uber or Lyft driver, would you make a claim against the driver or the company?
In some instances, it might be both. That is when you need to seek out the counsel of an experienced car accident attorney like the team at the Thomas Law Offices. We have been helping clients involved in rideshare collisions since those companies first started operations in Chicago.
Uber and Lyft Driver Requirements
One crucial part of any car accident investigation is investigating a driver’s history. Technically, Uber and Lyft have already done this. Before they can drive for either company, drivers must undergo an extensive background check that covers DMV records and any criminal convictions.
DMV Background Check
On the DMV side, Uber and Lyft will disqualify drivers if they’ve had serious driving violations or a DUI within the last seven years. Drivers must also rerun their driving histories each year, which is supposed to cover any incident that might have occurred since the last check.
The companies will also pay attention to any moving violations. Many of these violations might not have involved a crash but could be related to issues like driving with expired tags, running a red light, or speeding.
Typically, if a driver has three or more moving violations on their DMV record within the past three years, they will be ineligible to drive.
Criminal Background Check
Along with the DMW driving history check, Uber and Lyft require their drivers to undergo a criminal background check. That begins with the National Sex Offender Registry. Any driver found to be on that list is automatically disqualified.
The rideshare companies will also disqualify drivers who have a conviction in any of the following areas:
- Murder
- Sex crimes
- Terror crimes
- Robbery
- Kidnapping
- Aggravated assault
Additionally, the rideshare companies will exclude prospective drivers who have had convictions within the last seven years for these lesser crimes:
- Driving under the influence
- Drug-related offenses
- Theft
- Property damage
- Fraud
In addition to those checks, prospective drivers must undergo identity verification to make sure they’re who they claim to be.
Driver Experience
The reason that insurance companies charge more for teen drivers has to do with experience. The more you drive, the more confident you are behind the wheel, and that can reduce accidents. You must be at least 21 years old to drive for Uber in Illinois. For Lyft, the minimum age is 25.
While both rideshare companies conduct annual DMW history checks, they don’t conduct drug tests for their drivers.
What Happens After a Rideshare Accident?
There are many possible accident scenarios involving an Uber or Lyft driver. You could be injured as a passenger, your car could be struck, or you could be hit as a pedestrian.
No matter what happened, you’re entitled to seek a remedy. You might name the rideshare companies as at-fault parties if the drivers were working. It would be no different than getting involved in an accident with the other “company cars.”
If the Thomas Law Offices agrees to represent you, we’ll conduct a thorough investigation into the accident, including Uber and Lyft’s hiring practices and what they might have overlooked.
Get your questions about a ride-share accident answered today.
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