Friday, 4 Jul 2025
America Age
  • Trending
  • World
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Real Estate
    • Money
    • Crypto & NFTs
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion / Beauty
    • Art & Books
    • Culture
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Font ResizerAa
America AgeAmerica Age
Search
  • Trending
  • World
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Business
    • Economy
    • Real Estate
    • Money
    • Crypto & NFTs
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Food
    • Travel
    • Fashion / Beauty
    • Art & Books
    • Culture
  • Health
  • Sports
  • Entertainment
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
© 2024 America Age. All Rights Reserved.
America Age > Blog > Tech / Science > Uber Safety Report Says Sexual Assaults Down but Rate of Traffic Deaths Up
Tech / Science

Uber Safety Report Says Sexual Assaults Down but Rate of Traffic Deaths Up

Enspirers | Editorial Board
Share
Uber Safety Report Says Sexual Assaults Down but Rate of Traffic Deaths Up
SHARE

Uber said in a safety report on Thursday that sexual assaults in its ride-hailing vehicles were down significantly since its last report but that the rate of fatal car crashes had increased.

The company said 3,824 sexual assaults were reported on its U.S. platform in 2019 and 2020, while 20 people were killed in assaults and 101 died in crashes.

The report was a sequel to Uber’s initial report, which it released in 2019. The company committed to releasing reports every two years, but it said the new review had been slowed by a pandemic-related delay in 2020 data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Uber uses the agency’s methodology and data standards to analyze vehicle fatalities.

Reported sexual assaults were down from 5,981 in 2017 and 2018, the period covered by Uber’s first report, though the company logged far fewer trips in 2020 because of the pandemic: 650 million compared with 1.4 billion in 2019. Still, Uber said the rate of reported sexual assaults had decreased 38 percent.

Deaths from assaults were similar from 19 in the previous period, as were fatal crashes, which killed 107 people in 2017 and 2018. Uber said the spike in the rate of fatal car crashes reflected an overall deadlier year on the roads in 2020, which is backed by data from NHTSA.

Deaths increased that year in part because of speeding on less-crowded highways during the pandemic, making it the deadliest year since 2007, NHTSA said, Though most of the Uber-related vehicle deaths in the two years occurred in 2019, the rate was higher in 2020.

The company said that 99.9 percent of Uber rides take place without incident, and that just 0.0002 percent of all rides include one of the critical safety incidents mentioned in the report. The data does not include injuries and tallies only rides, not food deliveries on UberEats.

Uber has tried to reshape its image, and releasing safety data has been seen a key component of that makeover.

The company has added safety options in recent years, such as the ability for drivers to film rides and for both drivers and riders to record audio from them in the Uber app. Uber said that more than 500,000 prospective drivers had failed to pass its screening process in 2019 and 2020, and that more than 80,000 drivers had been removed from the app as a result of the company’s continuous checking of criminal records.

“Secrecy doesn’t make anyone safer,” Tony West, Uber’s chief legal officer, said in a statement. “That’s why we call on companies across the industry to step up and also be honest with the public about their safety records.”

Updated 

June 30, 2022, 4:38 p.m. ET

He added, “By confronting the issue and counting reports consistently, we can work together to help end sexual violence.”

In recent months, driver advocacy organizations and members of Congress have pressured gig companies to improve the safety of their drivers, and one report estimated that at least 50 gig drivers had been killed on the job since 2017. Uber’s report Thursday said 19 drivers were killed in 2019 and 2020 — 14 in crashes and five in assaults.

Uber works with insurance companies to help drivers with accidents and injuries, and pays for injury protection insurance in some states where laws require it, said Andrew Hasbun, a company spokesman. The company also offers an Uber-specific hotline for survivors of sexual assault, in partnership with the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, he said.

Cherri Murphy, a former Lyft driver and spokeswoman for Gig Workers Rising, a driver advocacy group, questioned whether driving for Uber was safe.

“Uber executives want you to think that throwing numbers and statistics at the reporters will fool us into believing Uber is safe for workers and for passengers,” Ms. Murphy said in a statement. “But workers have long known that the safety features they speak of are fake, and fail to keep workers safe.”

Uber said that it could not provide numbers about Covid-19 exposure or deaths among Uber drivers, but that it had allocated $50 million globally toward safety supplies like masks and hand sanitizer, and given drivers affected by Covid more than $40 million in aid.

Uber divides reported sexual assault into five categories, including nonconsensual kissing, rape and attempted rape. The largest number of reports were “nonconsensual touching of a sexual body part.”

Across the five categories, alleged perpetrators and targets were roughly split between riders and drivers. Drivers were accused of assault in 56 percent of cases and riders in 43 percent. Drivers were the victim in 39 percent and riders in 61 percent.

Indira Henard, a member of Uber’s Safety Advisory Board and the executive director of the D.C. Rape Crisis Center, said releasing data about sexual assaults could help dispel stigma around an underreported type of crime.

“By being transparent with their safety record, Uber is aiming to stop the silence around gender-based violence,” Dr. Henard said in an interview.

TAGGED:Car Services and Livery CabsDeaths (Fatalities)Mobile ApplicationsThe Washington MailTraffic Accidents and SafetyUber EatsUber Technologies Inc
Share This Article
Twitter Email Copy Link Print
Previous Article McConnell warns Dems of fallout for reviving Biden bill McConnell warns Dems of fallout for reviving Biden bill
Next Article Brian Austin Green and Sharna Burgess Welcome Baby Boy –– See His First Cute Pic! Brian Austin Green and Sharna Burgess Welcome Baby Boy –– See His First Cute Pic!

Your Trusted Source for Accurate and Timely Updates!

Our commitment to accuracy, impartiality, and delivering breaking news as it happens has earned us the trust of a vast audience. Stay ahead with real-time updates on the latest events, trends.
FacebookLike
TwitterFollow
InstagramFollow
LinkedInFollow
MediumFollow
QuoraFollow
- Advertisement -
Ad image

Popular Posts

Become a Leader in Water Stewardship With Our 8-Step Cycle

NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESSWIRE / December 1, 2022 / Due to climate change, future water-related…

By Enspirers | Editorial Board

Beijing loyalist John Lee elected as Hong Kong’s next leader

HONG KONG (AP) — John Lee, a hard-line security chief who oversaw a crackdown on…

By Enspirers | Editorial Board

Blinken sets G-20 meeting with Chinese FM; silent on Russia

WASHINGTON (AP) — Secretary of State Antony Blinken will hold talks with his Chinese counterpart…

By Enspirers | Editorial Board

Russia slams long-time diplomat who quit over war in Ukraine: ‘He is against us’

Russia on Tuesday slammed comments made by one of its long-time diplomats to the UN…

By Enspirers | Editorial Board

You Might Also Like

Each iPad is on sale forward of Prime Day — rating record-low costs on the iPad mini and 11-inch iPad
Tech / Science

Each iPad is on sale forward of Prime Day — rating record-low costs on the iPad mini and 11-inch iPad

By Enspirers | Editorial Board
Rating 0 off the Shark Rocket vacuum with this early Prime Day deal
Tech / Science

Rating $150 off the Shark Rocket vacuum with this early Prime Day deal

By Enspirers | Editorial Board
‘All The Sharks’ assessment: Your summer time actuality competitors binge
Tech / Science

‘All The Sharks’ assessment: Your summer time actuality competitors binge

By Enspirers | Editorial Board
The Ace {Hardware} 4th of July sale is stay: Store grills, cordless instruments, and way more
Tech / Science

The Ace {Hardware} 4th of July sale is stay: Store grills, cordless instruments, and way more

By Enspirers | Editorial Board
America Age
Facebook Twitter Youtube

About US


America Age: Your instant connection to breaking stories and live updates. Stay informed with our real-time coverage across politics, tech, entertainment, and more. Your reliable source for 24/7 news.

Company
  • About Us
  • Newsroom Policies & Standards
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Careers
  • Media & Community Relations
  • WP Creative Group
  • Accessibility Statement
Contact Us
  • Contact Us
  • Contact Customer Care
  • Advertise
  • Licensing & Syndication
  • Request a Correction
  • Contact the Newsroom
  • Send a News Tip
  • Report a Vulnerability
Terms of Use
  • Digital Products Terms of Sale
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Settings
  • Submissions & Discussion Policy
  • RSS Terms of Service
  • Ad Choices
© 2024 America Age. All Rights Reserved.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?