It’s hard to compare Uber travel to Taxi travel. Traffic accidents and assaults involving rideshare and taxi trips aren’t always reported accurately if at all. What’s more, many different taxi companies can own taxi cabs, so getting accurate statistics that cover all taxi rides for all types of taxis is difficult.
However, California riders should be able to feel safe when they make their decision between a rideshare trip and a traditional taxi ride. There are certain factors we can examine to help potential riders determine if they’d feel safer in the backseat of a taxi or in the backseat of an Uber.
Motor Vehicle Accident Rates Between Uber Trips and Taxi Rides
Most Uber drivers and taxi drivers are usually extremely cautious and take the safety of passengers seriously. However, the very fact that they work from behind the wheel adds additional risks for accidents. They can be distracted by the Uber app. Taxi drivers might be distracted by a message from dispatch and take their eyes off the road.
Traffic accident rates for Uber vehicles and taxis can be hard to pin down. And the numbers that are released can be hard to compare between the two.
But there are some benchmarks that can tell us a little more about how safe we are on Uber trips and taxi runs.
UBER: According to the Uber U.S. Safety Report for 2021-2022, 99.9% of Uber trips end without any safety-related issues. The Uber Safety report documented 153 motor vehicle fatalities between 2021 and 2022. In Uber’s release, their rideshares had a motor vehicle fatality rate of 0.87 per 100 million vehicle miles traveled (VMT). According to Uber, that remains substantially lower than the national average. It should be pointed out that the Uber accident cases examined are largely caused by drivers in other vehicles.
Taxi Accident Rates: The New York Times cited a study that looked at the accident rates per million miles on city streets. Taxis were involved in 4.6 crashes per million miles. It’s a figure that points to Taxi travel being much safer than someone driving themselves. All vehicles on the road (private and commercial) had a crash rate of 6.7.
Uber Vs. Taxi in Car Accidents
A look at the crash risks in Uber cars and Taxis begins with the safety of the vehicles themselves.
- In Favor of Uber: Partition Dangers. Taxi cabs often have clear partitions to protect drivers from violence from passengers. They may prevent attacks, but those partitions become unyielding obstacles that passengers can be thrown into during a collision.
- In Favor of a Taxi: Vehicle Maintenance. Taxi cabs will usually belong to a larger transportation company that must regularly inspect those vehicles and replace bad tires and worn brake pads. In theory, this should lead to fewer accidents. Uber vehicles are provided by the drivers. They are supposed to maintain their cars, but Uber doesn’t provide as much supervision in this regard. Uber does require that drivers use vehicles that aren’t over 16 years old and they must have no visible body damage.
- A Pass for Both: Driver Background Checks. Uber and taxi companies both do background checks before hiring any driver. Background checks should look for accidents on any driver’s record. This should include past DUI convictions and other criminal convictions. At times, these reports miss important factors that allow a dangerous driver behind the wheel of a rideshare or taxi.
- In Favor of Taxi: Driver Experience. Taxi drivers usually hire full-time drivers who stay at their jobs longer. Uber can have drivers come and go and who only work certain times of the month.
- In Favor of Uber: Accident Compensation. Uber offers up to a million dollars in insurance coverage for passengers injured in a crash while riding. Taxi cab companies must carry commercial auto insurance. The requirements for those policies can differ in different cities and counties.
Sexual Assault Danger on Taxis and Uber Rides
Traffic collisions in fast-moving rideshare cars aren’t the only safety concern potential riders will have. Passengers must also be concerned with their personal safety. Physical assaults and sexual assaults occur each year during rideshare trips.
Passengers are uniquely vulnerable. Their drivers have them in an enclosed space and control where their car goes. Drivers can also take advantage of a rider’s condition (perhaps the passenger has been drinking).
Uber’s report admits to 36 physical assaults that resulted in fatalities on rideshare trips between 2021 and 2022. The report also documents 2,717 incidents involving the most serious categories of sexual assault and misconduct.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) puts out reports on assault data from rideshares and taxi companies. Unfortunately, the data on assaults involving taxi rides isn’t available in most cases. Taxi companies don’t always track these incidents, and when they do, they don’t generally categorize the different types of incidents to help with tracking. Some refuse to release the figures. Other companies say they saw few or zero assault cases over a two-year period.
It’s hard to know what to rely on when Uber writes its own report on safety and Taxi companies aren’t forced to release their data in most cases.
How Rideshares and Taxis Compare in Sexual Assault Safety
It’s possible to look at the safety protocols each method of travel utilizes to see how they stack up against each other.
This is a general breakdown of the safety measures available to passengers:
- In Favor of Uber: Driver Transparency. Riders should have a photo of their driver and a name on the app as they drive along. A rating should be clearly listed. Riders can also usually access a profile on the driver for more information.
- In Favor of Uber: Trip Monitoring. The Uber app allows riders to view their position on a map as they travel along. This tracking can also be shared with loved ones as they travel. A taxi trip generally wouldn’t come with this modern feature.
- In Favor of Taxis: Driver Monitoring. Taxi companies usually stay in touch with their drivers through a two-way radio or an app. A dispatch department would stay apprised of a driver’s location and in some cases, be aware of a driver’s condition and state of mind.
- In Favor of Uber: Passenger Alert. Uber does offer a better way for passengers to reach out to the transportation company to alert them of a problem. Riders can contact a real safety agent at Uber on their app and also have access to a panic button that would send 911 help immediately. The app can also transfer data about the driver and the Uber car’s location immediately.
In the end, it’s up to you to decide which option you feel safer with the next time you call for a ride. The most important takeaway is that there are safety precautions in place to protect riders. Passengers should also be ready to call 911 on any trip.
Contact a California Rideshare Accident Attorney Today
If you or a loved one have been injured in an accident involving a rideshare driver, please don’t let a major company like Uber or a taxi company decide the level of support you should receive.
We offer a free and confidential case review to all California rideshare accident victims. Please contact us today to schedule an appointment with a real California rideshare accident lawyer. It’s a no-risk, no-obligation opportunity to stay informed of your rights after an accident and to learn what a rideshare company should be expected to pay.
If we can’t help you earn more for your case, we’ll tell you that. Either way, we want to make sure you have the knowledge you need to secure the most possible from careless rideshare drivers and their employers.
