Navigation Ridesharing: Car Accidents in the Age of Uber and Lyft
In 2009, the transportation industry forever changed with the advent of the ride share. What is ride sharing? Ride sharing is a service that arranges one-way transportation for a fee. Ride sharing is available via downloadable applications, such as Uber and Lyft. Today, it is estimated that 36% of Americans have used a ride sharing app for their transportation needs. Most of these users are younger generations. And ridesharing seems to be more popular in urban cities compared to rural areas.
Unlike traditional taxi cabs, ridesharing apps rely on independent contractors rather than employees. Ride share drivers set their own schedule, maintain their own vehicle, and provide their own insurance. This arrangement presents unique challenges for those that are injured in accidents involving ride sharing drivers and passengers.
Although Kentucky drivers are required to have insurance coverage for their vehicles, often, this coverage has special exclusions for those that utilize their vehicles for “business purposes” such as those that earn money as a driver through ridesharing services. Some ride share companies provide additional insurance coverage for their ride share drivers however, this coverage often depends on what the ride share driver was doing at the time of the accident and whether or not a passenger was in the vehicle at the time of the accident.
