It’s not a stretch to say that ridesharing services are a work in progress. They’re wildly popular and many people swear by companies such as Uber and Lyft to get them where they need to go. Certainly there’s a lot of advantages to ridesharing over traditional taxi services—they’re less costly, more informal, and can even lead to meeting new acquaintances. Of course, there are also hazards involved, both for drivers and passengers.
These companies have only been around for 8 years or so, and are constantly making small adjustments to improve the experience and safety for their drivers and customers alike. Uber, for example, is taking a major step forward in making it easier for drivers to refuse fares. Learn about this new step by Uber, what you can do if you have an incident while ridesharing, and how a ridesharing accident lawyer can help get you compensation.
Safeguarding Drivers
We hear a lot of reports about the dangers of being attacked by ridesharing drivers who haven’t been properly vetted, but oddly we don’t talk a lot about the other way around. In many ways, Uber and Lyft drivers are in more danger than their passengers, since they see more people in their cars every day, and they know very few of them (if any).
In an effort to attract more drivers, Uber is stepping up safeguards. This new step allows drivers a much greater freedom to decline fares if they choose, rather than holding them to uncomfortable standards as in the past.
Refusing Fares
In the past, an Uber driver was free to refuse a fare, but if they did so, it would negatively impact their rating. This in turn would show up on their profile, and would result in them getting fewer calls. In short, refusing a fare was a direct assault on your livelihood. This led many drivers to take on fares that made them very uncomfortable so as not to affect their driver account.
Now, drivers are alerted if rides might take at least 45 minutes, and they can decline. In addition, drivers can now decline fares without the same degree of negative impact on their account. Uber is also increasing the amount of “driver destinations” it offers. These allow drivers to match up with those who are going in the same direction, making it easier and more timely to pick up fares.
Improving Public Image
These steps are a welcome improvement for many drivers, and form a part of a major PR campaign by Uber to make their app-based service friendlier to those who drive for them. In fact, just this past June, they finally introduced a service whereby drivers can accept tips, as well as upgrading their feature support in July.
Uber Incidents and the Ridesharing Accident Lawyer
Of course, if you’re in an Uber and you suffer an accident that’s someone else’s fault, or you’re in an accident where the Uber driver is at fault, a ridesharing accident lawyer can still help. It can be tricky knowing who to hold accountable in these cases, and the right attorney like the Gruber Law Group can give you the best shot at significant compensation for your medical bills, pain and suffering and other damages. If you’re in the San Francisco region, give us a call for a free case consultation today.