Lyft Received Nearly 100 Complaints Of Sexual Assault By Drivers In Just One State Over Two Years

[Eugene]

Source: BuzzFeed News

Lyft Received Nearly 100 Complaints Of Sexual Assault By Drivers In Just One State Over Two Years

The lawsuit claims that Lyft received nearly 100 complaints of sexual assault in California in just two years.

Amber Jamieson
BuzzFeed News Reporter
Last updated on September 4, 2019, at 5:42 p.m. ET

Posted on September 4, 2019, at 5:29 p.m. ET

Fourteen women who said they were raped or sexually assaulted by Lyft drivers have filed a lawsuit against the ride-hail company, arguing that the app enables drivers to assault passengers.

The lawsuit cites 14 attacks against Lyft passengers between 2018 and 2019. In one attack in Alabama, a blind woman’s cane was stolen by her Lyft driver, who then allegedly raped her.

In six of the incidents, the women had fallen asleep in the car and awoke to the Lyft driver sexually assaulting them, the lawsuit states. In another instance, the Lyft driver pretended to help a stumbling passenger who’d been drinking walk to their door, before allegedly raping them inside their home.

“Lyft knew from the outset that sexual assault was going to be a problem, especially because they have vulnerable passengers who have been drinking,” said the lead plaintiff’s attorney Stephen Estey.

In a statement, Lyft’s head of trust and safety said what the women describe in the lawsuit “is terrifying and has no place in the Lyft community.”

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Read more: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/amberjamieson/lyft-sued-sexual-assault-drivers

[mopinko]

1. this is why i have never used them, and never will.

i am facing the point where i cant drive any more.
i still wont use them.

[mapol]

2. That's very surprising--and awful! Sorry that happened to you.

As a Bay State resident, I have used Lyft quite a bit, and have never, ever had any problems with the drivers, who they often screen thoroughly and don't hire people with criminal records. I have, however, read and heard about Uber drivers sexually assaulting female passengers, as well as overcharging passengers, whoever they may be, which is why I won't use Uber at all. Although I still drive, I use Lyft to get to appointments, or sometimes even in the winter when the weather's too awful, or there's too much snow on the ground to allow for parking at wherever I'm going.

[mopinko]

3. nothing happened to me, personally.

tho my gender queer kid and her sister had to jump out of an uber at a stop light when the driver went off on a homophobic rant.

in chi, we occasionally have a bad cabbie, but not very often and not for long. these guys not so much.
i was hoping the apps would make drivers more accountable, but no...