A new Consumer Reports study reveals that approximately one in six Uber and Lyft vehicles have not undergone repairs for vehicle safety recalls. For example, Consumer Reports noted that among tens of thousands of Uber and Lyft vehicles registered to operate in New York City, there is a 2011 Hyundai Sonata GLS with eight safety recalls that haven’t been addressed, ranging from potential seatbelt detachment to engine failure.
Recalled Uber and Lyft Vehicles
For its research, Consumer Reports reviewed safety records for about 94,000 vehicles registered to companies in New York City and King County, Washington. These are two major ridesharing hubs with local governments that require drivers to register their vehicles and obtain an additional license from regulators. Consumer Reports’ analysis provides a snapshot of open safety recalls across the rideshare industry. But researchers say the situation nationwide might be even worse.
They found vehicles with glaring safety issues, such as deadly Takata airbags that could injure or kill drivers or front-seat passengers. There were unrepaired issues involving potential vehicle fires. In fact, in the Seattle and New York City areas, 25 vehicles had 5 or more unfixed recalls. We don’t know if any rideshare customers have sustained injuries due to an open recall issue. Consumer Reports recommends stronger safety recall laws especially as Uber and Lyft expand their businesses even more and as other smaller players enter the rideshare industry.
Consumer Safety is Crucial
Uber and Lyft have both come under scrutiny for consumer safety issues, including violent attacks and sexual assaults suffered by passengers. Uber and Lyft should do more to make sure consumers are kept safe and making sure these open safety recalls are repaired is an important part of that. They could easily use vehicle identification numbers to identify and ban vehicles with open recalls from operating on their platforms. These corporations, despite their claims to be tech companies, refuse to use technology to remove recalled vehicles from their platforms.
If you have been injured in an Uber or Lyft rideshare accident as a result of a defective vehicle or a recalled, unrepaired vehicle, you may be able to file a lawsuit not only against the rideshare company but also the automaker, seeking compensation for damages. An experienced rideshare accident lawyer with a successful track record in auto defect cases can help injured victims and their families secure justice and fair compensation for their losses.
