One popular way that residents and visitors get around town in the Norfolk and Virginia Beach area is by using a ridesharing service, such as Uber or Lyft. While this can be a cheaper and more convenient form of transportation, drivers for these companies often cause rideshare accidents that result in their passengers, drivers and passengers of other vehicles, pedestrians, and others to suffer serious injuries or death. If you were the victim of a rideshare crash, you may be able to seek compensation for your injuries from the negligent rideshare motorist and possibly the rideshare company they work for.
Common Causes of Rideshare Crashes
Victims of Uber, Lyft, and other rideshare accidents must prove the rideshare driver’s negligence caused their injuries in order to be entitled to damages. Here are some of the top reasons these preventable wrecks occur:
- Speeding. Rideshare drivers often speed to deliver their passengers to their destination more quickly so they can pick up their next customers and make more money. They can cause a serious injury accident if they drive too fast and lose control of their vehicle or do not have sufficient time to stop to avoid a collision.
- Distracted driving. Passengers, reading a GPS, talking on a cell phone, and texting are a few of the dangerous distracted driving practices that lead to rideshare accidents.
- Looking for passengers. When rideshare drivers are looking for a customer they are picking up, they may not be paying enough attention to those they share the road with or could suddenly stop or turn without notice and cause a collision.
- Drowsy driving. People who work for rideshare companies can set their own hours and may have another job too. If they drive long hours or have two jobs, they can be more fatigued when driving—which is as dangerous as driving when drunk.
- Intoxication. If a rideshare driver is intoxicated due to drug or alcohol use, their reaction time, judgement, vision, and other crucial driving skills will be impaired. They would be much more likely to cause a drunk driving crash by speeding, weaving between lanes, and disobeying basic traffic laws.
- Failing to maintain their vehicle. When a rideshare driver breaches their duty to maintain their motor vehicle, the brakes, tires, or other parts could malfunction and cause them to lose control of their vehicle.
Liability of the Rideshare Company in a Rideshare Accident
Ideally, you would want to hold the rideshare company responsible for compensating you since they are required to provide much more insurance coverage to their drivers. However, determining whether a rideshare company is liable for your accident can be complicated. It will depend on whether the driver was driving for personal reasons, waiting for a ride request, or transporting passengers.
If you or a family member were injured in an Uber, Lyft, or other ridesharing accident, our knowledgeable car accident attorneys are here to determine the cause of your crash and the liable parties and to fight for the compensation you deserve from them. To find out about your options and how we can assist you, call our Norfolk office to schedule your free case evaluation today.
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