Uber (actually named Uber Technologies Inc. but doing business as Uber) and other ridesharing transportation services have contributed to increase traffic deaths by 2% to 3% in the United States since 2011. This equates to about 1,100 deaths per year, according to a study entitled “The Cost of Convenience: Ridesharing and Traffic Fatalities” conducted by the University of Chicago and Rice University.
If you were injured in an Uber accident, Lyft accident or any rideshare accident, or a family member tragically killed with a wrongful death claim, please call us now at 1 866 INJURY 2 or contact us now for your FREE consultation and case evaluation.
Before ridesharing travel services, traffic accident deaths fell to their lowest total number in the U.S. just before Uber started in the city of San Francisco in California. In 2010 there were approximately 32,885 deaths attributed to car accidents in the U.S. This was the smallest number of traffic fatalities due to accidents since the year 1949. Upon the introduction of ridesharing in the U.S., this decline stopped. Nevertheless, some expert researchers believe it may be too soon to know whether this is just a short-term adjustment to Uber, Lyft and ridesharing transportation services or is actually a longer-term pattern coming out of the ridesharing phenomenon.
These opinions and conclusions were based on statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) compared with the traffic accident history of cities after Uber and/or Lyft started in each city.
One reason for this traffic increase is because with Uber, Lyft and other ridesharing services, the drivers are not just transporting passengers. They also are “deadheading”. Deadheading is the practice of Uber and other ridesharing drivers searching for passengers. Reportedly, Uber and other ridesharing drivers spend 40% to 60% of their time searching for passengers; this greatly increases traffic congestion, leading to more traffic accidents, including those with fatalities resulting in wrongful death accident claims. For example, in the city of New York, it is believed that the average Uber and other rideshare drivers travel approximately 2.8 miles between passenger pick-ups.
The increase in congestion is also believed due to the decreased use of public transportation systems due to the convenience and affordability of Uber, Lyft and other rideshare services.
With the increase in traffic fatalities and wrongful death claims attributed to Uber, Lyft and other ridesharing services, if any family member was killed with a wrongful death accident claim or if you suffered any injuries in a traffic collision, please contact us now for your absolutely FREE case evaluation. This consultation is FREE and if we take your case we work on a contingency fee. This means there is NO fee paid until your case is won.
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