Ride-hailing apps like Uber and Lyft are convenient methods of transportation in Kentucky and across the United States. Their popularity has changed the way in which people get from one place to another. For those who were concerned about a night out and consuming alcohol or were unsure as to whether public transportation would be available, these apps have been a great benefit. Still, whenever a person heads out on the road whether it is as a driver or a passenger, auto accidents can happen. These can lead to injuries and fatalities.
Auto crashes are the most common cause of death in the world with an average of around 1.3 million people dying each year. The circumstances of these accidents inevitably differ. Recent research has indicated that being on the road itself is not the only problem. In urban locations, crashes involving pedestrians have risen at locations where passengers are picked up and dropped off by ride-hailing vehicles. The Columbia University researchers combined with Oxford University researchers to come to the conclusions. This is the first study regarding auto accidents and ridesharing apps using individual trip data. In the past, studies looked at the numbers in cities where ride-hailing was available and others where they are not.
The number of trips ride-hailing services like Lyft and Uber have had in the past decade has surpassed 11 billion in the U.S. Despite the positives of ridesharing apps such as a reduction in DUI accidents and deaths, the total number of urban collisions has remained static. Researchers say that the reduction of DUI accidents coincided with an increase in accidents involving ride-hailing passengers at drop-off and pickup areas. Researchers were not denigrating ride-hailing apps, but sought to point out that attempts to improve safety should be implemented. An example would be avoiding pickup and drop-off areas with significant congestion to avoid pedestrian danger.
Calling a ride-hailing app might be perceived as a responsible way for people to get from one place to another and it is generally safe. Although collisions can happen on the road, it is unlikely that people are expecting to be hit by a vehicle as they are picked up or dropped off from a ride-hail vehicle. As this study shows, it is a major problem in urban locations.
After an accident, a person’s life can be radically changed in physical, emotional and financial ways. They can face surgical procedures, the inability to return to work, need help for basic tasks and face exorbitant medical expenses. This can impact anyone from the wealthy to the workaday and the poor. Having legal assistance may be important to recover compensation in a legal filing. A firm experienced in auto accidents might be able to assist with the investigation and in moving forward with a case.