Jury Awards $8.5M to Passenger in Uber Driver Assault

A federal jury in Arizona has ordered Uber to pay $8.5 million to a woman alleging she was raped by a driver during a trip in November 2023. The plaintiff's lawsuit contended that Uber was aware of passengers being assaulted by its drivers and failed to implement necessary safety measures. This decision follows thousands of reported sexual assault incidents involving Uber drivers and passengers.

Uber has stated its plan to appeal the verdict, noting that the jury did not find the company negligent or its safety systems defective. A company spokesperson asserted that the verdict validates Uber's responsible actions and investments in rider safety. The incident occurred as the plaintiff was traveling to her hotel after a graduation celebration.

Uber has faced similar criticisms regarding insufficient rider protection. The company reports a substantial decrease in sexual assault incidents over recent years, citing data from 2017-2018 compared to 2021-2022. In an effort to enhance safety, Uber partnered with Lyft in 2021 to create a shared database of drivers removed for misconduct.