NBC News has completed a report in which they looked at Uber settling a wrongful death suit in San Francisco. The case involved a 6-year-old girl who was in a crosswalk with her mother and brother when they were hit by a vehicle on New Year’s Eve. The driver that hit them was logged on as an Uber X driver at the time of the accident. Read on to learn more about what caused the accident and if Uber is really at fault, and then reach out to Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas at 909-982-0707 if you’ve been involved in a car accident and need a free legal consultation.
Is using Uber safe?
The death of this poor girl brings up several questions. Is it safe to use Uber’s service? How are the drivers qualified? Should Uber fleets be on the road so much, making both drop-offs and pick-ups, even though they’re not necessarily trained to be professional drivers? Uber drivers are not subject to the safety regulations that are imposed on licensed cab drivers. Should they be?
Uber drivers are not regulated
An Uber driver in California is not nearly as regulated as a cab driver is. An Uber driver doesn’t have the same licensing and supervision requirements of a taxi driver. There is no boss to look out for drivers under the influence, or to prevent an Uber driver from getting on the road while they’re too fatigued to safely drive.
San Francisco’s Municipal Transportation Agency has an opinion
According to San Francisco’s Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA), the public should always choose a real taxi over an Uber driver. They offer a number of reasons for this, including the fact that cabs are more likely to be safe since they must follow routine safety and meter inspections. They also point out that any cab driver in San Francisco has undergone extensive training and has passed a background check.
The SFMTA also says that when you hire a cab, you’re hiring an ensured operator. In the event something doesn’t go right, then you’ll have legal recourse to do something about it. They encourage people to support a local cab driver that’s invested their own time and money into earning the right to drive that cab. On the other hand, Uber drivers don’t have to follow nearly the same number of rules and they can drive without investing much time or money at all. As a result, just about anyone who wants to make some extra money could be out on the road charging for rides.
Have you been involved in any type of vehicle accident?
Whether you were injured while riding in an Uber, got into an accident with an Uber driver, or have been injured in another type of car accident entirely, Law Offices of Fernando D. Vargas is here to help. You can call us at 909-982-0707 for a free legal consultation. We are here to identify your options, give your best advice on which to follow, and to provide assistance at every step of the way.
