Are Ubers Safer Than Taxis?
Today, alternative transportation options like taxis and Ubers offer convenient ways to get around. But which is the safer choice? The answer depends on your definition of safety. To help you decide, here’s a side-by-side comparison of key aspects of each option, allowing you to choose what best fits your needs.
Background Checks
The way that taxi companies and rideshare companies perform background checks varies. Taxis are generally more regulated than ridesharing companies. In Florida, taxi companies are typically regulated at the county level. According to the Government Accountability Office, a criminal background check is not required to become a prospective taxi driver, but it is required to be a rideshare driver.
Uber partners with third-party providers Chckr, HireRight, and Samba Safety to conduct background checks in the United States. Uber drivers can be disqualified if the background check shows anything that could be a safety concern, such as a criminal record, DUI conviction, infractions for reckless driving, or major driving violations.
Employment Standards
Taxi companies generally employ full-time drivers. They may monitor drivers more carefully than rideshare companies. Drivers may be subject to ongoing supervision. Taxis may be equipped with security cameras and communication devices to monitor driver conduct.
Uber does not directly hire drivers, so they tend to have less control over them. Instead, Uber insulates itself from its drivers’ negligence by classifying drivers as independent contractors. Uber has minimum requirements to become a driver, generally only requiring a driver to be at least 23 years old and hold a valid driver’s license.
Regulatory Framework
Florida counties are responsible for licensing and regulating taxis, limousines, and other passenger vehicles for hire. As such, many taxi services have established safety protocols to comply with these various regulations.
Rideshare services are relatively new, so not as many laws govern them.
Insurance Requirements
Florida is a no-fault insurance state, but taxi drivers and rideshare drivers must maintain different levels of insurance based on the law. Vehicles registered as taxis in Florida must have minimum liability insurance in the following amounts:
- $125,000 of bodily injury liability per person
- $250,000 of bodily injury liability per accident
- $50,000 for property damage liability coverage
Florida law requires rideshare drivers to have the following amounts of insurance, depending on the driver’s status during the transaction:
- Off the app: $10,000 in personal injury protection (PIP) coverage and $10,00 in property damage liability coverage
- Waiting for a passenger: $50,000 for bodily injury liability coverage per person, $100,000 for bodily injury per accident, and $25,000 for property damage
- Accepted a ride request: $1 million in bodily injury and property damage
The rideshare company or driver may purchase this insurance.
Rating System
Uber employs a two-way rating system where drivers and riders rate each other after each ride. This system encourages better service, as drivers aim for high ratings to secure more ride opportunities. Additionally, Uber monitors low ratings and can investigate to address safety or customer service concerns.
While traditional taxis may not have a formal passenger rating system, they are typically regulated by local authorities and subject to inspections and licensing requirements. Complaints about taxi drivers or services can usually be filed with the overseeing regulatory body, which may impose penalties or revoke licenses for repeated issues.
Driver Information
When an Uber driver accepts a ride request, the rider can see their name, photo, rating, vehicle type, and license plate number. This transparency may make riders feel more comfortable. Taxis have identifying numbers on them that can allow taxi companies to investigate any concerns from passengers.
Availability
Ubers may offer a sense of increased safety due to their greater availability. While taxis often operate primarily in densely populated areas, leaving rural passengers with fewer options, Uber’s app-based platform allows for broader coverage. In many locations, Uber riders may experience shorter wait times compared to taxis, providing a more convenient and accessible transportation option.
Vehicle Requirements and Conditions
Taxis may be in better condition than Uber vehicles. This is because taxi companies must regularly maintain and inspect their vehicles. They must generally be inspected at least annually. These regular maintenance checks ensure greater vehicle safety because they reduce maintenance-related accidents.
Uber’s vehicle requirements allow drivers to drive vehicles up to 16 years old. Drivers are responsible for their personal vehicles, but some may be negligent in their maintenance.
Safety Features and Technology
Taxi companies may install security cameras and monitoring software in their vehicles, but there can be a disparity between them. Uber offers various safety features, such as GPS tracking in real-time and the ability to share trip details and travel with friends or family.
Uber is technically considered a technology company that matches passengers wanting a ride with a driver willing to provide it. As such, they may offer a variety of technology features that can enhance safety, such as:
- RideCheck: This feature uses GPS data and other sensors in the Uber driver’s smartphone to detect if there is a sudden unexpected long stop or possible crash. Uber can reach the driver and passenger to ask if they need help in these situations.
- Emergency button: Drivers and passengers can push an emergency button within the app that connects them to emergency personnel and shares their location.
- Safety Center: The app contains safety tips and other information to help drivers and riders.
- Speed alerts: Drivers receive alerts if they are driving too fast.
- Voice-activated commands – Drivers can use voice commands so they do not have to manually input data.
- Facial recognition: This feature allows the company to match the driver with their license.
Taxi companies generally do not have these technologies.
Criminal Activity and Data Privacy
According to Uber’s most recent internal safety report, there were 2,717 reported incidents of sexual assault and 36 physical assault fatalities within a year. Additionally, reports of individuals impersonating rideshare drivers to exploit, harm, or even kill passengers underscore a significant safety concern. While violence involving taxi drivers can also occur, comprehensive statistics on such incidents are less accessible, making direct comparisons more challenging.
With regard to your privacy, taxi companies typically do not collect personal information about passengers, which offers a level of privacy. In contrast, ridesharing apps require users to share personal information, which could pose a risk to passenger data in the event of a security breach.
Our Experienced Personal Injury Attorneys Can Help
If you were injured in a taxi or rideshare accident in Florida, you may be facing unexpected medical expenses, lost wages, and other losses. The experienced legal team at Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers can discuss your legal rights during a free consultation. Call us today to learn more.
Contact the Jacksonville Car Accident Law Firm of Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers Today For Help
For more information, please contact the Jacksonville and Ponte Vedra car accident law firm of Baggett Law Personal Injury Lawyers at the nearest location to schedule a free consultation today.
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