Hiring a driver presents you with an interesting challenge: How do you figure out, in a matter of seconds, if you can trust that driver?
Many people don’t. They just get into the car and hope for the best. But, with car accidents taking more than 35,000 lives every year, riding in a car is one of the most dangerous things you can do. Should you take that risk a bit more seriously? You’re putting your very life in that driver’s hands.
The goods news is that Lyft does not just let anyone drive. They run background checks, driving record checks, DMV checks and more. They make sure that every driver has a license and a safe vehicle. They then claim to keep monitoring those drivers.
These are also professional drivers, in some cases, whose income depends on being able to keep driving. Therefore, they may be more careful with you in the car than they would if they were just driving on their own.
The other side of that coin, though, is that a professional driver who gets paid by the ride has an incentive to drive faster, run yellow lights, and even drive aggressively. If they can get each ride over sooner, they can take on more rides during the same timeframe and increase how much money they earn. Plus, “safe” drivers get involved in accidents every day. Getting into that car not only puts your life in the driver’s hands but in the hands of everyone around them who may hit their car.
If you get injured in an accident in a rideshare vehicle, it can get complicated, and you need to know what options you have.
