Lyft began offering its ridesharing services in the City of Chicago back in 2013, choosing Chicago as the third city for expansion of its Lyft rideshare app service after its debut in San Francisco the previous year. Read, “Lyft, a ride-sharing app service, expands to Chicago,” written by Salvador Rodriguez and published by the LA Times on May 9, 2013.
Together with Uber, Lyft has popularized ridesharing across the country as an alternative form of transportation to driving one’s own car or using various traditional forms of transportation, such as buses, limo services, or taxis. This has been particularly true in Chicago, where almost immediately Chicagoans were opting for Lyft (or other rideshares) for getting to work or school as well as personal pursuits.
In fact, ridesharing grew so fast in the City of Chicago that in 2014, municipal regulations were passed that established specific requirements for ridesharing companies, defining them as “Transportation Network Providers.” Chicago has continued to oversee the activities of rideshare companies with more oversight than the State of Illinois as a whole. See, e.g., “Chicago Is The Only Major U.S. City To Ban Ride-Share Drivers For Parking Ticket Debt,” written by Elliot Ramos and published by NPR on September 12, 2019.
Chicago Lyft Accident and the Duty of Care
In the aftermath of a motor vehicle accident in the City of Chicago involving a Lyft rideshare, the issue will arise regarding whether or not negligence was the cause of the crash. If negligence can be established as defined by state law, then the negligent party can be held legally liable for the damages that have resulted from the accident.
In the case of a Chicago Lyft Accident, this means the Lyft car crash victims may have claims to pursue against Lyft, as a ridesharing service, as well as the Lyft driver. These claims may include references to the City of Chicago’s Municipal Code, which defines specific requirements or duties for the ridesharing companies, their drivers, and their vehicles, as well as established personal injury accident laws of the State of Illinois.
See, Chapter 9-115 of the Municipal Code of Chicago.
These claims may also include references to the specific requirements established by Lyft for its drivers and their rideshare vehicles.
From the Lyft site for the Chicago Lyft ridesharing services:
1] Lyft Duty of Care for Lyft Driver to Avoid Lyft Accident
In response to Chicago’s regulations regarding rideshare companies, Lyft has published the following requirements specifically for Chicago Lyft drivers, quoting from the Lyft site:
- Valid driver’s license — Temporary or out-of-state licenses are also acceptable
- 1 year of driving experience
- Driver ID
- 25 or older
- Pass a driver screening, which reviews your driving history and criminal background check. Learn more about driver screenings.
- Any smartphone that can download and run the Lyft Driver app. See phone software recommendations.
Lyft has also established additional rules that focus upon avoiding a Chicago Lyft Accident where the Lyft driver breaches a duty of care and safety, such as driving drowsy or fatigued; quoting from the Lyft site:
- Hourly driver mode limits: In addition to Lyft’s mandatory break requirement, Chicago regulations state that you cannot be in driver mode for more than 12 hours within a 24-hour period. After spending 12 consecutive hours in driver mode, you must take a break for at least 8 consecutive hours.
For more on ridesharing drivers driving while drowsy or fatigued, read: Ridesharing and Traffic Fatalities: Driver Fatigue and Drowsy Driving as a Public Safety Risk.
2] Lyft Duty of Care for Lyft Vehicle to Avoid Lyft Accident
In response to Chicago’s regulations regarding rideshare companies, Lyft has published the following requirements specifically for Chicago Lyft motor vehicles, quoting from the Lyft site:
- Vehicle age requirements in this region have changed. Reach out to us for more information.
- All vehicles must meet the following criteria:
-
- 4 doors
- 5-8 seats, including the driver’s
- Not on the list of ineligible subcompact vehicles
- Not a taxi or stretch limousine
- Not titled as salvage, non-repairable, rebuilt, or any other equivalent classification
- See if your car qualifies for Lyft Lux or Lyft Lux Black to earn more on each ride.
- In select cities, you can rent a car through Express Drive with standard insurance included.
Chicago Lyft Accident Claims Can Be More Complicated for the Injury Victim
As with Uber and other ridesharing companies, Lyft offers its services through a software app that connects the Lyft driver with the Lyft client or customer. This is different from other Chicago public transportation services, like taxis or buses, where smartphone apps are not involved.
Legally, ridesharing is distinguished from these traditional transportation systems. Longstanding jurisprudence exists for the old-school options: when there is a taxi cab accident, the legal elements to establish legal liability are well-established. However, when there is a Chicago Lyft accident, the laws that protect against harm to members of the public in traffic collisions are not the same.
For example, anyone who wishes to be employed as a part-time bus driver in the City of Chicago must undergo significant training (licensure) and screening. Comparatively, it is relatively easy to become a Chicago Lyft Driver, as shown by the Lyft driver requirements listed above.
Another complication for Chicago Lyft Car Crash victims is the insurance coverage purchased by Lyft for these accident victims. There may be legal fights here regarding whether or not the passenger as an accident victim had been technically picked up, or had already been dropped off, at the time of injury. There can be disputes over whether or not Lyft’s policy or the Lyft driver’s car insurance policy covers the incident. There may be a controversy over whether the Lyft driver was on duty as a rideshare service provider at the time of the crash.
Accordingly, Chicago Lyft Accident victims are well served by working with experienced advocates in pursuing injury claims for ridesharing services like Lyft in Chicago. Establishing the liability of the Lyft driver as well as the Lyft ridesharing company will rely upon new, independent, and evolving areas of injury law as compared to the traditional transportation company accident claim.
For more, read Pfeffer-Gillett, Alexi. “When disruption collides with accountability: holding ridesharing companies liable for acts of their drivers.” Calif. L. Rev. 104 (2016): 233.
Chicago Lyft Accident: Justice for Lyft Car Crash Victims
Chicago Lyft car crash victims may have legal claims for monetary damages against Lyft, as well as the Lyft driver and/or others who have breached a legally defined duty of care or safety and as a result, contributed to the accident’s occurrence and its resulting harm.
The investigation and formal demand for recognition of these legal responsibilities can be particularly complicated for the ridesharing accident victim and their loved ones. Ridesharing injury law in both Illinois and Indiana is a new and evolving area of personal injury transportation jurisprudence.
Of particular import are determining the specific areas of liability (what duties have been defined and violated) as well as dealing with insurance coverage issues and acknowledging the validity of damage claims.
For more on Lyft car crashes, read:
- Ridesharing Accidents: Claims for Injuries during Uber or Lyft Ridesharing Car Crash
- Ridesharing Accidents in Indiana and Illinois: Uber and Lyft Injury Claims
- Uber or Lyft Crashes: Liability in Ridesharing Accidents
- Uber Accidents in Chicago: The Growing Danger of Serious Injury in an Uber Rideshare Car Crash.
Using Lyft Rideshares has been extremely popular in Chicago for many years now. Meanwhile, the risks of a serious or deadly Lyft Ridesharing Accident continue to endanger all those choosing to use Lyft (and other Chicago rideshare apps such as Uber). Please be careful out there!
