Vernon Township Uber Accident Lawyers

Sussex County, New Jersey Accident Attorneys Can Help Accident Victims Recover Compensation After an Uber Crash

With a population of just over 22,000 people, Vernon Township can seem like a respite from the busy world of Newark or New York. Many people visit Vernon Township and other areas of Sussex County, New Jersey, every day for precisely this reason. 

Many Vernon Township residents and visitors choose ridesharing services like Uber to help them travel. While services like Uber often seem convenient, the company’s track record is not free from accidents, assaults, injuries, and deaths. Uber drivers mean more cars on the roads, which increases the risk of crashes. 

If you’ve been injured in an Uber accident in Vernon Township, you’re not alone. At the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm, our experienced team of Vernon Township Uber accident attorneys is dedicated to helping people who suffer injuries in ridesharing accidents. For over 30 years, we have aggressively represented those injured in car accidents throughout Sussex County and New Jersey. We fight to secure the compensation our clients need, deserve, and are legally entitled to receive after a crash. 

Uber Accident Statistics

Uber is currently the largest rideshare company in the United States, providing more than two-thirds (71 percent) of all rideshare rides throughout the country. Uber’s only significant competitor is Lyft, which provides about 29 percent of all rides. 

From its launch in 2009, Uber rapidly gained attention. Users liked its easy-to-use app and the ability to schedule rides when they needed one. Many users found Uber easier to use than traditional taxi services, allowing the company to compete directly with existing transportation options. 

Yet Uber’s growth hasn’t come without issues. With 131 million monthly active users, Uber drivers regularly take the risk of traveling on public roads – including the risk of causing serious crashes. 

Statistics on Uber-related crashes reveal that:

• Between 2019 and 2020, 101 deaths occurred in 91 total crashes, according to Uber’s US Safety Report. 
• Uber-related assaults caused death and injury, too. Uber’s US Safety Report reveals that 20 people lost their lives due to “fatal physical assault” linked to Uber use in 2019 and 2020. This number increased 18 percent from Uber’s recorded assault incidents in 2017 and 2018. 
• Uber is more popular in dense urban areas – where the risk of a crash also increases. More vehicles packed into a small space increases the risk that those vehicles will collide. The percentage of people using Uber and Lyft in urban areas is more than twice as high as the percentage using these services in rural areas. 
• A large percentage of rideshare users prefer to walk or bike first. These riders typically choose ridesharing when they feel it is too dangerous to walk or bike or when the weather makes walking or biking difficult. Seventy percent of Uber passengers prefer to walk or bike, however – which means the Ubers they take add to traffic congestion and overall crash risks.
• In 2019-2020, 3,824 sexual assaults were reported in Uber rides. While this number decreased from 5,981 reports in 2017-2018, it indicates that Uber still has work to do in making its rides safer.

Uber’s US Safety Report argues that “99.9% of trips on the Uber platform end without a safety incident.” However, the report’s executive summary does not mention how many total trips Uber examined to reach this conclusion. Nor does it note the devastating consequences of the 0.1 percent of trips that end in a serious crash or other event. 

Is Uber More Dangerous Than Driving?

Many riders choose Uber because ridesharing feels safer than driving themselves. These riders may not have a car or a driver’s license at all. They may question their ability to navigate unfamiliar streets or to drive safely in bad weather. Or they may simply want the ease and convenience of allowing someone else to take the wheel. 

Uber drivers also tend to consider safety as they drive. Uber drivers don’t want to be injured in a crash. They don’t want to deal with the issues that come from a crash, either – especially when an accident could disable their vehicle, which they rely upon when they drive for Uber. 

Yet both riders and drivers may not fully understand the risks connected to ridesharing. Studies indicate that, instead of being the safer option, Uber and Lyft are actually increasing the number of crashes on US roads. 

For example, a study by University of Chicago researchers found that in places where many people used ridesharing apps, the rate of total crashes went up by three percent compared to similar areas with low or no rideshare use.

Why did crash rates increase in places with lots of Uber or Lyft use? The researchers believe several different factors might be involved:

• Uber drivers are often only on the road for Uber. The name “ridesharing” implies that Uber drivers are already on their way to work, the store, or another location when they agree to pick up a rider. In fact, most Uber drivers wouldn’t be on the road at all if they weren’t looking for people who need rides. This increased vehicle traffic may lead to an increased number of crashes.
• Demand rises in the type of weather that makes a crash more likely. About 70 percent of Uber riders say they prefer to walk or bike in good weather. They call an Uber only when rain, fog, snow, and other weather conditions make walking or biking dangerous. However, this weather also makes driving more dangerous – increasing the risks of a crash. These riders also call for vehicles that might not be on the road otherwise, which can increase overall traffic counts.

When the number of cars on the road increases, the risks increase not only for those in the added cars, but for everyone around them as well. Pedestrians, bicyclists, and people in other vehicles can also suffer serious injuries in an Uber crash. 

Who is at Fault in an Uber Accident Case?

When two people driving their own cars crash into each other, determining who is at fault can be tough. One or both drivers may have responsibility, or the cause may be a vehicle defect or something outside the vehicle.

When an Uber crashes into another vehicle, pedestrian, bicyclist, or object, the case can become even more complex. An Uber accident claim may involve:

• The driver of the Uber, whose behavior leading up to the crash may be studied carefully.
• The passenger or passengers in the Uber, who may also be asked what they remember or what they were doing when the crash occurred. 
• The driver and passengers in another vehicle involved in the crash, who may also need to give an account of their actions and memories leading up to the collision.
• Others outside the vehicle, like a pedestrian or bicyclist injured in the crash or witnesses to the accident. 
• The Uber driver’s auto insurance company, which provides coverage for the driver and vehicle – but whose coverage may have special terms for ridesharing use. While Uber requires its drivers to have auto insurance, auto insurance companies can set their own terms for covering Uber-related crashes. 
• Insurance companies that cover other drivers, passengers, or others injured in the crash. These insurance policies will each have their own terms and rules.  
• Uber itself, which provides various types and forms of insurance coverage to drivers. Which coverage applies depends on several factors, including what the driver was doing when the crash occurred.

In some cases, a defect in the Uber vehicle or another vehicle may be at fault for the crash. Here, involving the automaker, dealership, or mechanic responsible for building or maintaining the vehicle may also be necessary to ensure all injured parties receive full compensation. These parties may also have insurance companies that provide applicable coverage, adding yet another party to the mix.

It’s easy to assume that more insurance coverage means better protection. Uber’s coverage on top of auto insurance for individual drivers can feel like added safety if the worst happens. Yet often, more insurance companies just mean more delays, as carriers try to pass off responsibility to one another. Meanwhile, your unpaid bills continue to grow – and so may your fears that you’ll never recover physically or financially from the crash. 

Every Uber crash is different, and the outcomes of an Uber claim depend on the facts of the crash. If you’ve been injured, choose an experienced attorney who can help you unravel what happened and hold the proper parties accountable for the harm you have suffered.

Choosing an Experienced Vernon Township Uber Accident Lawyer

Whether you drive for Uber or use the service as a passenger, an Uber accident can seriously disrupt your daily life. If you’ve been injured in a crash, seek medical attention immediately. Keep copies of all your medical paperwork. Once you’re on the road to medical recovery, reach out to an experienced Vernon Township Uber accident attorney. The team at the Todd J. Leonard Law Firm is here to answer your questions. Call us today to schedule a free and confidential case evaluation.