Uber & Lyft Rideshare Assaults

Every day, millions of people around the world use both Uber and Lyft. Unfortunately, some of those trips have resulted in reports of sexual assault.

According to Uber’s most recently released safety report, 2,717 incidents of the most serious categories of sexual assault and misconduct were recorded in a two-year span from 2021 to 2022. Those claims range from unwanted touching to rape.

Court documents related to rideshare lawsuits have painted an even worse picture. According to a New York Times investigation, sealed court records showed that Ubed received a report of sexual assault every eight minutes on average from 2017 to 2022. More than 400,000 Uber trips resulted in reports of sexual assault or misconduct during that span.

Lyft released a similar safety report in 2024, analyzing data from 2020 to 2022. The company reported 2,651 incidents of the most serious types of sexual assault.

Both rideshare companies emphasize the relative rarity of these reports. Lyft pointed out in its 2024 safety report that more than 99.9% of rides occur without incident. Uber has touted similar figures for its service.

“Behind every one of these reports is a real person,” Lyft said in a release with its 2024 report. “Even one incident is too many, and we will continue investing in technology, policies, and partnerships to try to prevent and detect unsafe situations.”

Riders and drivers can report rideshare assaults and personal injuries through in-app emergency features, online or by calling the rideshare company’s reporting number. During a ride, in-app emergency reporting buttons are the easiest and most discreet way to reach out. These safety features connect with a security professional (Lyft) or emergency services (Uber) to get help when needed.

If you have experienced sexual assault while riding in a Lyft or Uber, you should also file a report with local police. You can find additional support and resources by calling the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or using the organization’s online chat feature.

Finding support and information on how to report Uber sexual assault claims on the Uber website can be difficult. The dedicated 24/7 support team and app help menu are easier to navigate. Uber provides a “Safety Toolkit” section in its app in case of an emergency.

Lyft encourages individuals to report inappropriate behavior or sexual assault claims through the app or by phone. The company maintains that it will never retaliate against anyone who files a claim.

Uber and Lyft have taken steps to reduce sexual assault and other violations during rides. Both companies noted in their most recent safety reports that the rates of sexual assault reports during rides are declining.

Uber has created technological solutions to improve safety. For example, Uber’s Follow My Ride feature allows riders to share their location with a family member or friend. The in-app emergency button provides a direct and immediate connection to local emergency responders.

Uber previously explored requiring cameras in all of its rides, believing that this could serve as an effective deterrent to prevent sexual assaults. The New York Times reported that the company determined distributing inexpensive cameras to drivers for rides was both feasible and cost-effective.

But the company eventually decided against moving forward with the plan, in part over concerns that it could veer toward classifying drivers as employees instead of contractors.

Lyft has developed in-app safety features for riders, including the ability to location share. The company also has a safety team that is always available, allowing riders access to a live person for assistance.

Drivers are also required to undergo community safety education that Lyft created in consultation with anti-sexual violence organization RAINN.

Both rideshare companies are currently facing thousands of lawsuits over claims that they failed to keep their passengers safe from driver assaults.

More than 3,000 Uber sexual assault lawsuits are currently active in federal court. They largely claim that the company prioritized growth over safety, failing to implement measures like cameras in cars that could have prevented assaults.

Two Uber lawsuits have advanced to trial so far. The first was won by Uber, even though the jury found the company negligent. The second was won by an Arizona woman who said she was raped by her Uber driver.

Uber was ordered to pay $8.5 million at the conclusion of that trial.

Similarly, there are also thousands of active Lyft lawsuits in both federal and state courts. No Lyft cases have advanced to trial yet. A federal multidistrict litigation (MDL) for these cases was established in February 2026.

MDLs group similar cases before a single judge for coordinated legal proceedings. This can lead to streamlined results.

A major point of debate among the rideshare lawsuits is the background checks that Uber and Lyft use to hire drivers and whether they are strict enough.

Lawsuits claim that these services use background checks that fall far short of more stringent practices historically used by taxi companies.

Uber, for example, does not use the FBI database for checks, does not mandate drug or alcohol tests and requires only minimal personal information to apply to become a driver.

Lyft, similarly, has been accused of lax background checks that result in almost all online applicants being hired as drivers.

If you were assaulted by an Uber or Lyft driver, you could qualify to file a lawsuit. Consumer Notice can connect you with a free case review to determine your eligibility.

A trusted attorney can evaluate your case and guide you through the legal process.

You may need to gather some evidence to successfully file a lawsuit. This can include a receipt or record of the ride in question. Any police report that was filed in response to the incident can be strong evidence as well, but this is not required to successfully file a lawsuit.

A lawyer can help determine exactly what you need and how best to track it down.