A new law put into place by California legislators will allow ridesharing companies like Uber and Lyft to conduct background checks that can cover a driver’s entire life. Previous California laws restricted background checks to a seven year period from the date of the check, but the law that came into effect on Jan 1, 2017 extends that period indefinitely for ridesharing driver applicants.
Neither Uber nor Lyft have opposed the law, which would levy fines between $1,000 and $5,000 for each time a rideshare company allows a person with a violation on their record to drive for them. Violations include violent felony or terrorism convictions or a listing on the public sex offender database.
You can read on to learn more about the law as well as how you can recover compensation for an injury or assault committed by a lyft or uber driver or if you were in an uber accident or lyft accident. Feel free to call me to discuss your matter as well, Eric Gruber, The Uber Accident and Lyft Lawyer in San Francisco.
Why California Passed Their Uber/Lyft Background Check Law
Legislators felt the new law’s long reach back was necessary after a rash of repeated crimes at the hands of ridesharing drivers. Sexual assault, battery, kidnapping and other worrying incidents have all been reported by ridesharing passengers. In one such vivid incident, a San Francisco Uber passenger was struck in the head with a hammer by their driver. Research by the district attorney’s offices in San Francisco and Los Angeles found that more than 20 active Uber drivers have serious felonies on their records.
The central issue at hand lies in how ridesharing companies hire drivers with less oversight than most other employer/employee situations. A simple online application and a background check is all that is needed to start driving for Uber. The San Francisco and Los Angeles District Attorney’s offices even sued Uber and Lyft two years ago for misrepresenting the extensiveness of their background checks. Since drivers operate under the respective Uber or Lyft brand, California lawmakers feel that ridesharing companies should be able to vouch for employees and take responsibility for their actions.
“I don’t feel safe alone at night with Uber drivers,” Kris Brix, who has been sexually assaulted by Uber drivers twice, told KPIX 5 News. “These people are not being vetted properly.”
Uber and Lyft’s passive compliance with the new law also stands in stark contrast to their consistent anti-regulatory positions. Uber’s autonomous vehicle program had to be taken off the road, for instance, because they refused to obtain the needed permits for testing.
One organization that did object to the background check extension was the ACLU, whose spokesperson told the California Assembly that the checks discriminate against drivers who have “long served their time and been rehabilitated.”
What to Do if You Have Been Injured In An Uber Accident of Lyft Accident or Assaulted by an Uber or Lyft Driver
Only time will tell if the new law provides the oversight and motivation needed to reduce the number of assault incidents on Uber and Lyft passengers.
Remember that no matter what, you have the right to seek damages against drivers and sometimes companies in civil court in addition to pressing criminal charges if they are at fault. You can find out if you are able to claim compensation for your personal injury stemming from an Uber accident or Lyft accident, including emotional distress and pain and suffering, by speaking to Eric Gruber, the Uber Accident and Lyft injury lawyer for your San Francisco personal injury case.
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