Motor vehicle accidents cause a significant number of injuries and untimely deaths in the United States. One strategy to avoid that is to use ride-sharing services. This might seem to be a sound idea, but in truth, it could be a source of the problem. Uber, Lyft and lesser-known ride share apps and services have become prominent in Georgia and across the nation. While this is convenient and provides people with an alternative to get from one place to another, there is no denying that they have resulted in more vehicles being on the road.
With that, there has been a commensurate increase in fatal motor vehicle accidents since 2011. An estimated 3% of fatalities, auto and otherwise, have been linked to ride sharing. This information is from a University of Chicago study. The researchers examined the years 2001 to 2016 and centered their study on Uber and Lyft. Prior to the ride sharing options, there had been a drastic reduction in fatal auto accidents between 1985 and 2010. Then the trends changed completely.
There were the fewest road deaths in 2010 since 1949. After the ride share apps became a common method of transportation, the numbers slowly began rising. The Governors Highway Safety Association said that people in vehicles were not the only victims as. In 2018, the number of pedestrian deaths was the worst since 1990 and has risen by 35% from 2008.
Large cities were more prone to a rise in fatalities due to the greater number of vehicles on the road. People who would otherwise not have used a vehicle were doing so because of ride sharing. A common problem is driver error since there is little oversight into how skillful ride share drivers are. The combination of more vehicles on the road, rushing to maximize profit by getting to destinations quickly, and constantly checking devices for potential riders are contributing factors.
When there are motor vehicle accidents and it was with a ride share vehicle, having legal assistance to analyze the case, gather evidence and take the necessary steps to be compensated for medical costs, lost wages and the aftermath of the loss of a loved one is vital. Calling for a consultation is the first step.
