Uber drivers are often the sole breadwinners in their families, and they are at risk of being attacked by passengers or drivers. The company has banned firearms, but many drivers still own guns to protect themselves. ..
Crimes Against Uber Drivers
The recent death of Christi Spicuzza has enrangued the citizens of the United States and started a debate regarding Uber drivers’ safety. In what was claimed to be a robbery, a mother of four lost her life to a greedy and disturbed passenger. Robberies, Gang-wars, and intoxicated passengers often pose a threat to the driver and put them in unfavorable situations.
An Uber driver in Sacramento, California, claims that she was assaulted by an extremely intoxicated passenger when she pulled over to help him puke. This is a common problem for drivers who wish to help or are simply decent human beings - they are constantly careful of every passenger they pick, and late-night drivers are particularly at risk. Intoxicated passengers often misbehave and put the driver in uncomfortable situations; even if the driver might not be in a dangerous situation, the troubles that come with handling a passenger who has no hold of their senses can be extremely challenging. ..
The recent increase in traffic congestion has drivers feeling frustrated. The problem is only going to get worse, as the population continues to grow and more people are driving. ..
If the Uber driver’s not harmed, and the passenger is charged with committing a crime while in the cab, the driver may be also charged as an accomplice. If the driver does try to stop the passenger, the driver puts himself in the way of harm by aggravating the criminal. If the passenger continues to commit a crime, it either makes the driver an accomplice or a ken witness to the case, for which he has to endure plenty of visits to court trials. Ultimately, it’s up to prosecutors whether or not to charge him with aiding and abetting a criminal.
The company is in a difficult situation.
The death of Spicuzza and the assault faced by the Sacramento driver were handled by Uber by making updates in their app. The new software enables drivers to press an emergency button upon which vital details such as location, license plate number, and car models are sent to a 911 dispatcher. They even developed a new “selfie check” feature which helps the driver match the passenger’s face with their photo. Either of the situations doesn’t necessarily guarantee the safety of the drivers or make them feel any safe. It could be too late to press the emergency button or the driver might not be in a position to access their phone. As far as the selfie check feature is concerned, a lot of passengers board the car on someone else’s booking, making these changes, largely ineffective. A loss of life, permanent trauma, or endless runs to the court and back, even if the driver is not victim, somehow they always end up suffering.
The overall struggle drivers are subjected to is a difficult and challenging experience.
Drivers working for ride-sharing companies such as Uber and Lyft are constantly dealing with passengers who can be difficult and unruly. This can lead to a driver’s rating dropping, which can make it harder for them to get more rides and earn less money. It’s unfair to leave out Uber drivers who don’t even get paid after suffering through the trauma. In countries like India, Brazil, and Mexico, passengers have the option of paying with cash. These drivers are at a greater risk of being victims of crimes after completing their jobs because they don’t have any protection from the company if something goes wrong. ..
Conclusion
In a survey by Harry Campbell, 53% of Uber drivers said that the company needed to do more for their safety. To summarise, a few software updates don’t make feel Uber drivers feel any safe because the ground reality is what they have to face daily. One can only hope he’s lucky enough to not be harmed, regardless, they should be prepared for the worst.
