California has rapidly become one of the biggest ridesharing states in the country. With the prevalence of Uber and Lyft vehicles continuing to rise, so is the number of collisions. This has not gone unnoticed by the California Department of Transportation or other state officials.
There have been thousands of reports of catastrophic and fatal injuries related to rideshare accidents across the state. For this reason, ridesharing laws and regulations in California have been implemented in the hopes of reducing the number of injuries, deaths, and collisions. Here is more about the state’s ridesharing laws and the rights you have if you are involved in a collision.
California Ridesharing Laws
Rideshare services are considered “Transportation Network Companies,” according to the Transportation License Section of the California Public Utilities Commission. Any organization that offers prearranged transportation services at a cost and uses an online platform connecting drivers and passengers falls under this category. According to the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC), there are multiple ridesharing laws that Lyft and other providers must follow, including the following:
- All drivers must agree to an annual background check
- Drivers are prohibited from operating vehicles under the influence of alcohol or drugs, according to the CPUC’s Zero Tolerance Policy
- All drivers must meet the necessary certification, permitting, and licensing requirements
- All drivers must complete a mandatory driver training program
- All vehicles must have Uber or Lyft decals located on the back and front passenger-side windshields
- Drivers are prohibited from accepting passengers who hail them down from the street
- All drivers must meet the state’s insurance requirements per the California Department of Insurance for auto insurance and California Department of Industrial Relations for workers’ compensation insurance
- All drivers must be at least 21 years old
- All drivers must have at least one year of driving history before being able to operate a rideshare
- Drivers with disabilities should be given accommodations and accessibility plans
- Drivers should have accessibility options for passengers who have disabilities
- Drivers are prohibited from transporting seven passengers at one time
- All drivers must have a vehicle inspection once every 50,000 miles or once each year, whichever happens first
Rideshares Have Mandatory Rideshare Insurance Requirements
Rideshare companies are required to protect their drivers with auto insurance coverage. Per Assembly Bill No. 2293, all rideshare companies need to protect their drivers with a minimum of $1 million per accident in commercial liability insurance coverage. All rideshare drivers must be provided with:
- $30,000 in property damage insurance coverage
- $50,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per person
- $100,000 in bodily injury liability coverage per accident
It is important to note that this insurance coverage is only in place when a driver is logged into the rideshare app, transporting a passenger, or waiting to pick one up.
Examining Liability for Your California Ridesharing Accident
If the Uber or Lyft driver who caused your car accident did so due to unsafe or negligent driving, you may have the right to take legal action against them. Beyond suing the Uber or Lyft driver, you may have grounds for legal action against the rideshare company as well.
You might start by filing a claim against the rideshare company’s auto insurance policy since you may have access to up to $1 million in liability insurance benefits. Any other types of damages that you cannot cover through the insurance company could be demanded by filing a personal injury lawsuit against the rideshare company or rideshare driver, depending on the circumstances of your case.