Are Rideshare Cars Considered Commercial Vehicles?

Even though they’re personally owned, cars used to provide rides for Uber, Lyft or one or the other rideshare companies are commercial vehicles when they’re in service.

In the decade since Uber launched its unique concept, we’ve grown quite comfortable with the notion of riding in strangers’ cars. Some sources claim that between 400,000 and a million people are working in the industry in this country alone. Worldwide, ridesharing accounts for about 15 million rides a day.

With that volume of trips, there are bound to be accidents. According to some sources, rideshares are involved in accidents that cause more than a thousand deaths a year.

Accidents involving rideshare vehicles are often caused by the same issues as all motor vehicle accidents: road conditions, drowsiness or distraction of the driver, speeding, the driver’s level of experience or failure to follow road regulations.

THERE ARE VARIOUS PARTIES INVOLVED IN ACCIDENTS INVOLVING RIDESHARE VEHICLES:

• rideshare driver
• passenger in a rideshare vehicle
• injured bystander – pedestrian – when a rideshare vehicle is involved
• driver or passenger in another car involved in an accident with a rideshare vehicle

Uber and other rideshare companies have a $1 million liability policy, meaning you may be able to get up to a million dollars to cover damages as a result of being involved in an accident with them – depending on who is at fault and the severity of the damages or injuries you sustain.

Because each state has different laws regarding vehicle accidents, particularly as they relate to rideshares, it’s important to work with someone who understands your individual rights in this scenario. Charbonnet Law Firm’s attorneys bring almost a century of combined legal experience and expertise in personal injury cases to help clients navigate the process of physical and financial recovery from accidents involving rideshare vehicles.