A new in-depth investigation by CNN has uncovered 103 Uber drivers who have sexually assaulted or abused their passengers over the past four years. The drivers are either being sued in civil court, are sought by the police, or have already been arrested. CNN found that at least 31 drivers have been convicted for crimes such as forcible touching, false imprisonment, and rape.
Because no data is publicly available regarding sexual assault by rideshare company drivers, the CNN investigation relied on police reports, federal court records, and county court databases for 20 major U.S. cities to complete the in-depth review.
Uber and Safe Rides Home
Uber has marketed itself as a safe ride home by using ads showing women using Uber to get home after a night out on the town. The company has partnered with Mothers Against Drunk Driving to urge consumers to use the Uber rideshare app if they are too drunk to drive home. In fact, many of the women who were sexually assaulted by the accused drivers had been drinking and turned to Uber for their safe ride home. Some passed out in the vehicle and woke up to find themselves being raped or attacked.
Although Uber requires county, state, and federal checks on its drivers going back seven years, they use an independent company and do not use fingerprints for their background checks. Critics say a background check without fingerprints is inferior and virtually worthless. Uber has responded by adding an emergency button that calls 911 within the Uber app and says it is committed to being part of the solution to end violence.
Woman Abandoned on Pennsylvania Turnpike
The Marlton personal injury lawyers at McOmber McOmber & Luber, P.C. are dedicated to helping victims of fraud and assault by Uber drivers. The firm recently represented a woman who scheduled an Uber ride to the Philadelphia airport and was verbally abused and then abandoned by her driver. When the ride arrived, the plaintiff says the car was a mess and the driver had bloodshot eyes and seemed disoriented. It appeared that the Uber driver was intoxicated or impaired.
When our client politely requested they use a faster route to the airport with tolls, the driver became enraged and screamed that she did not have an EZ-Pass. After our client paid the toll, the driver announced she was cancelling the ride and demanded the passenger exit the vehicle, leaving her on a dark and dangerous Pennsylvania Turnpike exit ramp.
Through her complaint, our client is seeking damages against Uber for negligent hiring, negligent misrepresentation/non-disclosure, consumer fraud, and intentional infliction of emotional distress among others. Attorney Matthew Luber finds it disturbing that even as “Uber claims to ‘want to be a part of the solution,’ the company simultaneously seeks to silence women by attempting to force their claims into a confidential arbitration process.” Consumers have no way of knowing that they are forfeiting their right to a trial in civil court because Uber’s arbitration clause is buried in the fine print of the Uber app.
Marlton Personal Injury Lawyers at McOmber McOmber & Luber, P.C. Represent Passengers Who Have Been Assaulted by Uber Drivers
If you are an Uber or Lyft passenger who is the victim of a crime by a driver, the Marlton personal injury lawyers at McOmber McOmber & Luber, P.C. will fight to obtain the justice and compensation you deserve. Call our Red Bank office at 732-842-6500, our Marlton office at 856-985-9800, our Newark office at 973-878-9040, or contact us at 888-396-0736 or online for a free consultation. We represent clients throughout New Jersey.