On your daily drives in and around Tracy you might see a car or two making a rideshare run. You might also see a dozen or more depending on where you go. Lyft Drivers get a lot of people where they need to be, but they also add to local traffic congestion and can be downright dangerous as they focus on their phones rather than the road.
If you are in a serious collision with a Lyft vehicle or injured as a passenger, it’s important that you contact a Tracy Lyft Accident Lawyer. You may be in for more than you bargained for as you try to get assistance with your injury recovery from a Lyft driver and the employer they make money for.
Suddenly a billion-dollar company may be shy about offering to help you after their driver caused an accident. We don’t think that’s fair at all. Give us the chance to hold them accountable and earn the compensation you’ll need to get back on your feet again.
Lyft Accident Dangers Around Tracy
You could be commuting back from South Bay or cruising Eleventh Street for groceries or a snack. That trip might include a callout to a Lyft driver or you may be driving your own vehicle alongside a rideshare worker. You might think there’s little chance that you could be in an accident with one of Lyft’s cars, but it’s more of a possibility than you think.
A study by the University of Chicago and Rice University studied accident rates over much of the last decade to see how the arrival of rideshare companies affected traffic fatality rates. They found that across the country drivers for companies like Lyft increased deadly accident cases by 2% to 3%. That’s over 1,000 added deaths on U.S. roads in a year.
Many of these extra accidents can likely be attributed to the distractions that rideshare drivers must battle as they rely on their cellphones for their livelihoods:
- Cellphone Notifications – A cellphone may beep every few miles for a Lyft driver. Each notification can mean a long look at the Lyft app, determining where a customer is, accepting a ride request, and then mapping how to get there. There’s no doubt that cellphone use causes thousands of accidents a year and Lyft drivers can’t help but be guilty.
- Cruising or “deadheading” – You might see a Lyft car with no passengers. That’s because Lyft vehicles can pose a threat even when they aren’t carrying riders. Drivers often travel the roads in busy sections of the city, hoping to be close to the next customer. They call it “deadheading” and it’s just another opportunity for a Lyft driver to lose focus on the road and put other drivers at risk.
- Working for Uber too – Many Lyft drivers also keep an Uber app open to have perhaps double the chance at customers. It’s a financial boost, but it can also mean double the notifications and double the dangerous distraction.
- Driver’s physical state – Employees may be exhausted from working too many hours for one or more rideshares. They may also be lacking in sleep but still behind the wheel trying to make money. Drowsy driving is also another proven hazard that causes accidents.
- Distracting Customers – Passengers can pull a driver’s attention from the road. Riders may need some clarification or just be argumentative, keeping Lyft employees from focusing on the cars in front of them.
- Reckless driving – Lyft workers may feel the need to speed or make a dangerous maneuver, all because they want to get to passengers quicker to keep them happy. Drivers may also break Lyft policy and consume drugs or alcohol before or while they drive. These are all mistakes that any driver can make, the difference is that Lyft drivers are on the clock.
Access to Lyft Insurance for Tracy Accident Victims
One of the biggest reasons you may need an attorney after being hurt in a Lyft accident is to sort out the proper insurance policy to hold accountable.
You’ll first have to ask the driver’s own car insurance provider for help with your medical costs and assistance replacing your lost hours at work. This insurance claim can often be rejected or not provide everything you need to cover your hospital bills.
Lyft can then offer up to one million dollars in coverage, but it only applies if the accident took place during certain phases of the employee’s shift. You can end up being blocked from compensation from both parties. At that point, you may have to file a claim with the uninsured/underinsured coverage on your personal car insurance policy.
Contact a Lyft Car Accident Lawyer in Tracy
After an accident, insurance companies can be your biggest obstacle to getting your recovery paid for. You could end up with zero help even when you were injured in a Lyft vehicle accident through no fault of your own. Unfortunately, you may be facing off with Lyft insurance agents and several other providers just to get a portion of your costs covered.
Don’t accept this kind of treatment. Let our attorneys take up this fight for you and let insurance companies and Lyft know they can’t escape blame. If you or a loved one has suffered a serious injury caused by a Lyft employee it’s time to contact a rideshare accident attorney protecting victims in Tracy.
