How Should I Handle a Collision Involving a Rideshare Driver?
Rideshare services are common and popular in Richmond, as they are in cities across the country. Uber, in particular, has become widely used around Richmond, and consumers regularly ride in Uber vehicles while motorists share the roads in Virginia with Uber and other rideshare drivers. Yet like other motorists, Uber drivers can be involved in serious motor vehicle crashes on local roads and highways in and around Richmond. In some cases, the Uber driver may be at fault and therefore liable for injuries, while in other circumstances another motorist or another negligent party may be at fault for the crash.
If you are injured in a collision involving an Uber or other rideshare driver, what steps do you need to take? Consider the following information from our Richmond car accident lawyers.
Know That Uber and Rideshare Accidents Happen Often
Motor vehicle collisions involving Uber and other rideshare drivers happen more often than you might think. According to a study published in the Journal of Safety Research, about one-third of all rideshare drivers have reported being involved in a collision while they have been at work as an Uber or Lyft driver. Not all of those collisions have been the fault of the rideshare drivers, but in some of those crashes, the rideshare drivers have admitted to experiencing distractions from having to use their phones to work or from difficult passengers.
It Will Be Important to Determine Fault for the Crash
Determining fault in a collision involving a rideshare driver will be particularly important if you need to file an insurance claim to seek compensation for an amount greater than the state-required minimums. Under Virginia law, through December 31, 2024, drivers must have liability insurance minimums of $30,000 per person per accident, $60,000 for two or more people per accident, and $20,000 for property damage per accident. On January 1, 2025 and after, the minimums increase to $50,000 per person per accident, $100,000 for two or more people per accident, and $25,000 for property damage per accident.
Yet in severe motor vehicle crashes, vehicle occupants as well as bicyclists and pedestrians suffer losses that can be significantly greater than these minimum amounts. When a rideshare driver is at fault, it may be possible to seek damages or compensation up to $1,000,000 based on the rideshare company’s insurance. To be eligible for that liability insurance, you will need to determine the rideshare driver’s status at the time of the crash.
You Will Need to Determine the Rideshare Driver’s Status
If an Uber or Lyft driver is at fault for the crash, and if the rideshare driver was “en route” (to pick up a confirmed passenger) or “on a trip” (transporting a confirmed passenger) then the company’s $1,000,000 liability insurance kicks in. Uber or Lyft will pay at least $1,000,000 for injuries to the rideshare driver and customers, as well as injured third parties (such as a driver or vehicle occupant of another car involved in the crash).
If the rideshare driver is working (i.e., available for a trip) but is not “en route” or “on a trip,” then the rideshare company has a liability insurance policy for the driver in the same amounts as Virginia’s minimums from January 1, 2025 (i.e., $50,000/$100,000/$25,000).
Contact an Auto Injury Lawyer in Richmond, Virginia
If you were injured in a crash involving a rideshare driver, one of the experienced Richmond auto injury attorneys at Latham & Martin can speak with you today to discuss options for seeking compensation.
Sources:
sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0022437524000069
dmv.virginia.gov/vehicles/insurance-requirements
uber.com/us/en/drive/insurance/
