Uber has become part of daily life for millions of people, offering convenience, affordability, and on-demand transportation. Many riders trust the app without a second thought. Yet recent court documents paint a troubling picture of safety inside the rideshare giant’s vehicles. Between 2017 and 2022, Uber received 400,181 reports of sexual assault or misconduct in the United States. That is the equivalent of one incident every eight minutes.
What the Data Shows
The 400,000-plus incidents include both physical and non-physical misconduct. Uber says that about 75 percent of those reports involve behaviors such as lewd comments and flirting rather than violent physical assault. Still, even non-physical misconduct can be traumatic and can create lasting psychological harm.
Importantly, the frequency of reports suggests that misconduct is not limited to rare, isolated situations. Instead, the numbers reflect a systemic safety issue affecting riders in cities across the country. While Uber has stressed that serious assaults occur in a very small percentage of trips, the high total number of reports is cause for concern.
Uber’s Response to the Revelations
Uber has emphasized that it has invested heavily in safety features, such as Safety Risk Assessed Dispatch and GPS tracking. However, these safety features have faced significant challenges.
Though the Safety Risk Assessed Dispatch tool “correctly anticipated 15 percent of sexual assaults” when first tested back in 2018, it still dispatched trips that were identified as high risk, including late night pick ups near bars. According to a spokesperson from Uber, it was unfair to assume that just because a trip is identified as high risk, that passengers will face an imminent threat. Furthermore, Uber argued that universally blocking certain types of trips, including those from bars late at night, would lead to other devastating consequences such as drunk driving.
Additional safety tools, including GPS tracking and an emergency button that connects users to 911 have also proved futile in certain cases. In 2023, a woman was taken to a Motel 6 and sexually assaulted despite Uber sending her three automated check-ins. The trip, which was originally only supposed to last 22 minutes, instead lasted five hours. An investigation revealed that the Uber driver had received two previous accusations of sexual misconduct prior to the incident.
Incidents like this are devastating but Uber’s response, noting that no single safety feature can eliminate risk entirely, is unacceptable.
Similar Post: What You Need to Know About Sexual Assault Laws and Restraining Orders in New Jersey
Criticism of Uber’s Safety Measures
Despite Uber’s assurances, internal records and employee testimony indicate that several potentially effective safety proposals were delayed or abandoned. For example:
- A program to pair female passengers with female drivers was piloted in some countries but not launched in the United States until 2025, years after internal discussions suggested it could improve safety outcomes.
- Proposals for in-car cameras faced internal pushback over privacy concerns and conflict with the company’s business model of classifying drivers as independent contractors instead of employees.
- Patterns of higher-risk rides, such as late-night trips from bars and repeat offender drivers were identified but not always acted upon promptly.
Critics argue that these delays suggest that corporate priorities sometimes outweighed rider protection.
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The Legal Landscape: Current Litigation
Uber faces a growing number of lawsuits from riders who allege sexual assault or misconduct by drivers. Many of these cases have been consolidated into a Multidistrict Litigation (MDL) in federal court in Northern California.
The MDL process allows similar claims from across the country to be managed together for efficiency, coordinated discovery, and pretrial proceedings. The first bellwether trials (test cases that help predict outcomes for similar claims) are scheduled for December 2025.
What This Means for Survivors
If you experienced harassment, assault, or any form of sexual misconduct during an Uber ride, you are not alone. The newly revealed data shows that such incidents are far from rare. Even if the conduct you experienced was not violent or did not result in physical injury, it may still form the basis of a legal claim.
Survivors often face significant emotional, psychological, and financial consequences. Legal action can provide an avenue not only for compensation but also for holding companies like Uber accountable for failing to protect riders.
How an Attorney Can Help
Working with an experienced personal injury attorney is critical in these cases. A lawyer can:
Evaluate Your Case
An attorney can review the facts to determine whether your experience meets the legal definition of negligence, assault, or another actionable claim. They can also assess whether your case fits within the existing MDL or should proceed separately.
Preserve and Gather Evidence
Evidence can disappear quickly, especially digital records like ride data, driver communications, and app usage logs. A lawyer can move swiftly to request and preserve these materials.
Connect with Experts
Attorneys often work with safety experts, psychologists, and investigators to build a strong case and document the impact of the misconduct.
Navigate Complex Litigation
Whether your case is part of the MDL or filed in state court, the legal process is complex. A skilled attorney can handle filings, negotiations, and trial preparation while protecting your privacy.
Pursue Full Compensation
Damages may include medical expenses, therapy costs, lost income, pain and suffering, and in some cases, punitive damages designed to punish particularly reckless conduct.
Steps You Should Take If You Experienced Sexual Misconduct in an Uber
If you are a survivor of sexual misconduct during an Uber ride, you should consider taking the following steps as soon as possible:
- Report the incident to law enforcement and through the Uber app.
- Seek medical attention if needed, even for non-physical harm, as mental health support is a key part of recovery.
- Document everything you remember about the ride, including details about the driver, the time, location, and any witnesses.
- Preserve communications with Uber and any other evidence such as text messages or screenshots.
- Contact a qualified attorney to discuss your legal rights and potential claims.
Why Acting Quickly Matters
Both federal and New Jersey state laws set deadlines for filing personal injury or assault-related claims. Waiting too long can limit your legal options and make it more difficult to gather evidence. Early legal consultation helps ensure your rights are protected from the start.
The Broader Implications
The sheer volume of complaints in Uber’s internal records underscores a need for systemic change in rideshare safety practices. Riders have a right to know the full extent of safety risks and to expect meaningful protective measures. Litigation not only seeks justice for individual survivors but can also drive corporate reform and industry-wide standards.
Final Thoughts
The question is not whether Uber provides millions of safe rides, but whether it is doing enough to prevent and address the thousands of unsafe ones. The answer from survivors and advocates is clear: more can and must be done.
If you have been affected by sexual misconduct in an Uber, you deserve to understand your legal rights, pursue justice, and help push for the changes needed to protect all riders.
Contact Blume Forte Attorneys at Law Today
At Blume Forte Attorneys at Law, we are committed to standing with survivors of sexual assault and misconduct. Our legal team has decades of experience handling complex personal injury and negligence claims, and we understand the courage it takes to speak out.
We offer compassionate, confidential consultations and a commitment to pursuing justice. If your experience occurred during an Uber ride, we can help you explore every legal option available, whether that means joining ongoing litigation, filing an individual claim, or seeking other forms of resolution.
You do not have to navigate this process alone. Contact Blume Forte Attorneys at Law today for a free, confidential consultation and take the first step toward holding those responsible accountable. We represent residents of Clifton, Sea Girt, Jersey City, Hackensack, Trenton, and throughout New Jersey.
Disclaimer: This blog is intended for informational purposes only and does not establish an attorney-client relationship. It should not be considered as legal advice. For personalized legal assistance, please consult our team directly.
