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More Fatal Uber and Lyft Crashes

October 1, 2021
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Although the emergence of app-based ridesharing services, notably Lyft and Uber, has been recognized for their help in keeping more impaired and distracted drivers off U.S. roadways, increasing work opportunities, and providing convenient transportation options, it’s likewise associated with congestion due to more drivers on the road and, consequently, traffic deaths.

According to a University of Chicago Booth School of Business research titled The Cost of Convenience: Ridesharing and Traffic Fatalities, the arrival of these rideshare services is related to an approximately 3% increase in fatal motor vehicle accidents.

The Safety Question

Yael V. Hochberg, a Rice University professor, conducted research with John M. Barrios, a professor at the University of Chicago School of Business, and Livia Hanyi Yi, a graduate student of Rice University, to study how rideshare services impact fatal motor vehicle accidents.

While the researchers hoped that their research would prove that rideshare services do indeed save lives, they discovered the opposite. In their research, they found that rideshare services actually increased accident rates and cost economic losses worth approximately $10 billion per year.

The team studied data from CrashStats and Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) by the NHTSA before and after the arrival of rideshare services and found that fatal motor vehicle accidents increased between 2% to 4% annually.

Possible Reasons for Increased Fatalities

The research cites the quantity effect—more vehicles on the road equal more accidents—as the main reason for increased deadly accidents. However, it is not just the individuals who use ridesharing services and drive for rideshare companies who get into accidents. Even bystanders, pedestrians, bicyclists, and other motorists are likewise affected by this increase in fatal accidents.

The reason for this is that more miles driven result in the roads being utilized more, in turn, an increased risk of accidents. Although it’s entirely possible that irresponsible or bad drivers might be using rideshare services, more individuals in vehicles on the roads could eclipse this safety gain. In addition, Lyft and Uber drivers might be driving while distracted since they are checking out their GPSs, stopping abruptly and often to fetch passengers, or speeding to complete ride requests and pick up more passengers. All these could result in traffic accidents.

However, it’s difficult for the researchers to accurately assess driver competence as a factor of increased accidents. Nonetheless, the main takeaway from the research is that the data they analyzed showed a net increase in motor vehicle accident fatalities, and it is occurring mainly in large cities.

Call a Queens Uber Accident Attorney Today

Have you suffered injuries in a traffic accident involving a rideshare driver from Lyft or Uber? Do not hesitate to reach out to the Queens Uber accident attorney of Lipsig, Shapey, Manus & Moverman P.C. You can learn more about your case and the best legal options specific to your circumstances to make sure that you receive fair compensation for the losses you incurred due to the rideshare accident.

Call 212-285-3300 or contact us online to schedule your free case evaluation with our Queens rideshare accident attorney today.

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