John Paul M. Joaquin Tech 07.01.2022 00:Jul AM EDT

Uber Reports Higher Death Rate During Rides

It's one step forward and two steps back for Uber's passenger safety.

Uber's second safety report showed that passengers are almost guaranteed to get to their destination safely and were less likely to be sexually assaulted but were more likely to die during rides, per CNET.

Uber started releasing safety reports in 2017, making it the first in the ride-hailing industry to proactively release a comprehensive US safety report showing the most serious safety incidents and safety-related policies and processes.

Uber 2019-2020 Safety Report Facts

Uber revealed in its safety report that in the 2.05 billion rides hailed from 2019 to 2020, 99.9% of them ended without a safety issue. This percentage took into account the resulting slowdown brought on by the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which decreased the number of rides booked through Uber by as much as 80% in April 2020.

However, the remaining .1% ended in accidents, which were caused by vehicular accidents and assaults. In fact, 101 fatalities came from vehicular accidents resulting in crashes, while 20 people died during a trip due to assault related to a trip.

Of the 101 car crashes, 67 were due to Uber drivers driving under the influence, speeding, or driving the wrong way. Meanwhile, the remaining 34 crashes were said to be caused by riders and other Uber drivers not wearing their seatbelts, as well as pedestrians, bicyclists, and third-party motorcyclists.

Uber also mentioned that the increased number of assaults happened during a time when there was a national trend of an increase in violent homicides, which rose between 2019 and 2020, per the Pew Research Center.

These fatalities were 18% higher than the number registered between 2017 and 2018, a period that Uber's first safety report covered.

Meanwhile, the rate of reported sexual assault related to Uber rides decreased from 5,981 during 2017-2018 to 3,824 from 2019 to 2020, marking a 38% decrease.

Uber mentioned that the decrease took the fact that fewer rides were being booked during that time into consideration, as Uber provided 2.3 billion rides from 2017 to 2018.

These sexual assaults were committed by 56% of Uber drivers, but 43% of riders were reported to have sexually assaulted their Uber drivers, per CNN.

Uber's Response And Improvements

Uber said in its report that it remains steadfast in its commitment to making Uber "the safest platform in the world," and that its work on safety will never stop.

"We're constantly innovating and investing in the safety of the platform," Uber said.

To improve its platform's safety, Uber mentioned it has prioritized robust screening processes and technology, built new safety features, and is vested in providing drivers and riders with support "in times of need."

These safety features include an in-app feature called "Trusted Contacts," which allows Uber riders to share their ride information with a friend or a loved one, per Uber.

Uber also mentioned that prospective drivers must go through a background check before they can drive for Uber. Additionally, drivers that do get through the screening will be required to share a selfie with Uber to verify their indentity.