Ridesharing applications such as Uber and Lyft have become increasingly popular over the past few years, with many people taking advantage of the fact that they offer faster service and cheaper prices than professional taxi services do. However, are these app-based ridesharing services really safe? Read on to learn about three alarming dangers of ridesharing that you might not have previously considered.
Rideshare Drivers Are Not Professionals
Different cities have different regulations and requirements when it comes to hiring professional taxi drivers. However, just about all of them have relatively consistent guidelines concerning hygiene, cab cleanliness, and the track records of their taxi drivers. Ridesharing services have far fewer regulations in place, usually relying on rating systems as the sole motivators for the driver to ensure a good experience. The drivers that you’ll encounter through ridesharing apps are not professionals, so you’ll have very little idea of what to expect.
Another risk related to non-professional drivers arises in the unfortunate case of you needing to open a lawsuit. According to Greenstein & Milbauer, suing rideshare companies for injuries sustained during an accident is harder than it seems. Using Uber as an example, because the drivers aren’t listed as employees, Uber generally isn’t responsible. Worse, the company has resources that help them avoid paying out on a settlement.
You Can Get Attacked
Since drivers have extremely low bars to clear in order to work through ridesharing applications, enlisting their services is much more like hitchhiking than calling a professional cab. While most drivers must go through background checks, numerous drivers with criminal records have slipped through the cracks, and multiple cases of aggression and assault by ridesharing drivers have been reported. You also might have other potentially dangerous passengers to contend with as well.
As if the safety risks of legitimate ridesharing weren’t enough, you also run the risk of encountering imposters who pose as ridesharing drivers. It’s distressingly easy for malicious people to display fake stickers and pretend to be your ride in order to get you into their vehicle. Whenever getting in your rideshare, make sure you note the license, wait for them to say your name, and let other people know where you are going.
Ridesharing Vehicles Are Dirty
You probably aren’t thinking about germs while you’re busy checking the ridesharing vehicle’s license plate to make sure they’re legitimate. However, the average vehicle’s door handles, seat belt clasps, and window controls are most likely dirtier than a toilet seat! While taxis and rental cars can also get quite grimy, the companies that manage them usually have strict regulations in place that require interior components to be cleaned on a regular basis. When it comes to ride sharing vehicles, you guessed it: No such requirements are in place, and you have no way of knowing when they were last cleaned.
While app-driven ridesharing services might be able to pick you up on the spur of the moment and charge you less money than a taxi service, there are a number of risks to consider. For starters, ridesharing drivers are not professional drivers, and they have far fewer regulations to follow.
Not only will you have no idea what sort of person to expect when your ride arrives, but you’re likely to run into problematic gray areas if you need to sue. On top of these safety issues, the ridesharing vehicle that picks you up is likely to be extremely germy in comparison to professionally maintained taxis.
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