Cabs are the very soul of New York. With the recent advent of ridesharing services, such as Uber and Lyft, a cab is available at the click of a button right at your doorstep. However, if you ask an Uber or Lyft driver about their daily routine, you’d be shocked to know that most of them work for a lot more than an ideal 8 hours a day familiar to us. Many drivers, who often work multiple shifts and even multiple jobs, are trying to make ends meet. Unfortunately, this leaves them fatigued and often sleepy.
This makes drowsy driving a very prevalent risk in the ridesharing industry. Moreover, this puts the driver, the passenger, and other people on the road at risk of an accident which could leave them severely injured.
What do the numbers say?
The data also shows a grim scenario. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety shared that 328,000 crashes in the U.S. every year involve a drowsy driver. Of these, 109,000 accidents result in injuries and 6,400 lead to a fatality.
Moreover, in 2017, the National Transportation Safety Board included “reduce fatigue-related accidents” in its “most wanted list of the 10 most critical changes needed to reduce transportation accidents and save lives”.
What is the stance of ridesharing companies?
Even ridesharing companies are making efforts to reduce drowsy driving. In 2018, Uber announced that any driver who has worked for 12 hours needs to go on a six-hour break. At Lyft, a driver needs to take a six-hour break after 14 hours of driving.
However, the extent to which these norms are followed is not known. Moreover, despite the break, drivers may end up driving late at night or early in the morning at the end of a long12-to-14-hour shift. This increases the risk of accidents because, at these hours, sleepiness is at its peak.
Dangers of drowsy driving
Drowsy driving increases the risk of accidents because the driver’s reaction time becomes slow, there is less alertness to look for potential dangers, and the promptness required to decide in case of danger is hampered.
How to know if your driver is drowsy?
Often a late night with friends or an early meeting in the office may compel you to call an Uber or Lyft. Here’s how you can spot if your driver is drowsy – (1) repeatedly yawning, (2) rubbing their eyes, (3) missing traffic signals/turns, (4) irritating temper/restlessness / rushed to reach the destination, (5) drifting/changing lanes too often.
If you think your driver is drowsy, suggest to them to cancel the ride and call it a day. If you’re already in the car and realize the driver is drowsy, ask the driver to pull over at a safe place and take another cab.
What to do if you meet with an accident due to a drowsy driver?
Despite all measures, if you’ve been in an accident due to a drowsy driver and their negligence, hire a car accident lawyer. However, before you bring the car accident attorney on board, make sure you get the due medical attention. Remember to document all the relevant evidence, such as photographs, medical expenses, booking confirmation, etc.
The car accident attorney will represent your case holistically ensuring that the compensation you get is the one you deserve. With powerful organizations, such as Uber and Lyft, leading the market in ride-sharing, it becomes imperative that you get an able car accident lawyer to fight for your case against these multimillion-dollar corporations.
If you or someone you know has met with an accident in an Uber or Lyft and need a winning law firm, contact Siler & Ingber today. Call us on 1-877-529-4343 or complete our online form on this page to schedule a case evaluation with one of our experienced car accident lawyers. Our consultation is free and we do not charge a fee unless we win your case.