Articles Posted in Uber and Lyft

Lyft’s New Feature Offers Gender Choice for Riders

Lyft is launching a new initiative to address rider safety and gender representation among its drivers. The feature “Women+ Connect” allows women and non-binary riders to specify a preference for drivers who identify as the same gender. In a recent announcement, Lyft indicated that this was a “highly requested feature” to bolster rider confidence and potentially attract more women to take advantage of the platform’s “flexible earning opportunities” as drivers.

Did the Ballot Proposition Impact Personal Injury Liability?

California’s Proposition 22 was passed by voters in November 2020 with a 58.63% “Yes” vote. The proposition re-designates drivers for app-based delivery and transportation companies as independent contractors instead of employees. At the time, almost all the discussion was centered upon the proposition’s expected impacts upon the employee benefits generally required for workers under California law, including overtime pay, sick time, health care, and unemployment insurance in exchange for the greater flexibility — for both the drivers and the companies — of independent contractor status. Another issue that was barely discussed at the time was the possible Proposition 22 effects on Uber and Lyft liability in personal injury claims and lawsuits stemming from traffic accidents.

Pedestrian Accident Involving a Lyft Driver

A Lyft driver reportedly struck a pedestrian while driving in Kearny Mesa, a neighborhood in San Diego. The California Highway Patrol (CHP) said it was about 3:00 a.m. on Saturday, November 16, when the car vs. pedestrian accident occurred. The Lyft driver, who was traveling in a dark grey Kia, collided with a woman that was crossing Balboa Avenue just near Ruffner Street. The driver was the sole occupant inside the vehicle at the time of the accident, according to officers from the San Diego Police Department. It is not known how fast the driver was traveling upon impact with the pedestrian.