Uber has an estimated 1 to 1.5 million drivers in the United States and counting. While ridesharing is a great travel option for many people, there are still dangerous risks associated with using this type of service.

Rideshare companies are facing hundreds of lawsuits claiming sexual and/or physical assault. In 2018, CNN reported that 103 Uber drivers and 18 Lyft drivers were accused of sexual assault, misconduct, or kidnapping. Some states, including California, Colorado, Massachusetts, and Texas, have begun investigations into rideshare companies and have found that Uber and Lyft have consistently failed to adequately screen drivers. Drivers for Uber and Lyft must pass a background check, however many of these checks investigate for criminal records and traffic violations only within the last 7 years. This means that any unlawful activity of a driver past the last 7 years is likely to be unknown to the employer. Even when a criminal history is found, the companies may still hire the person as a driver.

There are some limited circumstances when you would be able to sue the ridesharing companies directly. There have been numerous lawsuits filed by passengers who have been assaulted by their Uber or Lyft drivers. The theory behind the lawsuit is that the company failed to perform an appropriate background check on the driver before allowing them to pick up and drive passengers.

In an Uber/Lyft sexual assault lawsuit, both the driver and the company can be held responsible. The driver who committed the crime was directly involved in the assault and the negligent hiring practices of Uber or Lyft allowed for the incident to occur. Thus, the Uber driver can be charged with sexual assault of the passenger, and the passenger can sue Uber/Lyft for sexual assault.