Florida Personal Injury Lawyers Blog
Using a rideshare service, like Uber or Lyft following a party or big night out at the bar or club on New Year’s Eve is a responsible thing for someone to do after they have been drinking. NYE is a busy time and Uber and Lyft drivers are placed at a disadvantage when it comes to maneuvering roads shared with drunk drivers.
If you drive for Uber or Lyft, then our Florida Injury Lawyers at Whittel & Melton urge you to stay alert for drunk drivers on the roadways. We know this is a popular time to work and make some good money, the tradeoff is that there are risks of running into drunk drivers and other negligent drivers on the roads.
Every rider you pick up and drop off means one less drunk driver on the roads, which is great, but not everyone will make the responsible decision to get a sober ride home, so we encourage you to stay alert and brush up on some safety tips, especially if you are not accustom to driving late night/early morning hours.
- Use your rideshare company’s safety features, like Uber’s Safety Toolkit that lets you share your ride trip with a friend or loved one AND contact emergency help with just a tap of a button.
- Don’t accept a ride if you do not feel safe. Lyft actually states that there are times when cancelling a ride is totally acceptable, so if you need to cancel a ride that you have already committed to, just contact the Lyft support team for help.
- Make sure you verify the rider you pick up before allowing them in your vehicle. As a driver you are at a risk for becoming the victim of a carjacking or robbery, especially on NYE, so protect yourself first and foremost.
- If you have a belligerent passenger who is crossing the line and making things dangerous, then make sure you do what you need to do to protect your own health and safety. Your safety is the No. 1 priority, so do not worry about a rating on the app or a big fare/tip.
Remember, if you do not feel safe at any point during your rideshare shift, then take any necessary actions to protect yourself. If you need to tell riders to sit down or keep their hands to themselves, then do so. If you need to cut a ride short, then make sure you drop the person/people off at a well-lit public place with witnesses, so that things do not escalate to physical violence.
If you are assaulted, physically or sexually, while working as a rideshare driver, then you need to report the crime to Uber or Lyft AND to local authorities so that they can hold them criminally accountable.
Our Florida Injury Lawyers at Whittel & Melton Can Help Injured Rideshare Drivers
If you suffer an injury while working as a rideshare driver, then you may want to speak with us about your options for free. Keep in mind your injuries do not have to be catastrophic for you to file an injury claim. Any injury that gets in the way of you being able to perform your normal day-to-day activities may be grounds for a personal injury lawsuit. We can help you understand how being an independent contractor applies to your injuries and what needs to be done to sort out liability. Call us now at 866-608-5529 or contact us online for a free consultation so that we can help you work through your injuries and sort out your legal matter.