Ride-share drivers at risk of drowsy driving accidents

On Behalf of Holmes & Wiseley, P.C.

Many people in Michigan rely on ride-share apps, including Uber and Lyft, to help them to get to where they need to go. While these apps may provide a low-cost mode of transportation and are much safer than driving after drinking, there is a danger that the drivers may be drowsy.

According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, ride-share drivers are at risk of drowsy driving. Many work several jobs and may have been awake for hours before they drive. They also tend to drive late at night when they are likelier to become tired. Uber has announced that it is requiring its drivers to take six-hour breaks once they have driven for 12 hours, and Lyft requires its drivers to take six-hour breaks after driving for 14 hours.

The AASM states that these rules are inadequate because many people drive for multiple services as well as work other jobs. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 328,000 accidents in the U.S. happen each year because of drowsy driving, resulting in 109,000 injuries and 6,400 fatalities.

Passengers who are injured in car accidents that are caused by their ride-share drivers might want to consult with personal injury lawyers who can investigate what happened so that they can determine which parties might hold liability. Depending on what happened, the ride-share drivers and the other drivers may both be liable. The attorneys may send letters to the ride-share companies to tell them to preserve the evidence about their clients’ rides. If both drivers share fault in causing the accident, then the attorneys may file lawsuits against both. Identifying all of the sources of recovery may help their clients to recover fair compensation for their losses so that they can be made financially whole.

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