Uber rideshare vehicles are everywhere in large and small cities around the country, and Davis is no exception. Davis is considered one of the friendliest bike cities in the U.S. with over 20 percent of commuters using bicycles. This dwarfs some of the bigger bike cities like Seattle (2.3%) and San Francisco (3.9%).
With all those bikes and Uber cars on the city streets, accidents are bound to happen, and when they do, Bay Area Bicycle Law is there to help you get compensation for your injuries.
Uber Cars and Bicycle Issues
Uber cars present unique challenges for cyclists in Davis. First is the sheer number of Uber cars and bikes making accidents practically inevitable. Added to that, Uber cars follow certain patterns of activity some of which present problems for cyclists.
Bike Lanes
Davis has over 100 miles of bike lanes which is remarkable due to its geographical size. Problems arise when Uber cars stop or park in bike lanes to pick up or drop off customers. California law and Davis city ordinances prohibit Uber and any cars from traveling, stopping or parking in a bike lane. If someone does, they are subject to a fine, but this doesn’t stop all Uber drivers from using the bike lane as a stopping point for riders.
The biggest problem this presents is that the cyclist has to swerve left into traffic to avoid the Uber car and risk getting run over by vehicles in the traffic lane.
Dooring
Dooring happens when a motorist or passenger opens his or her door right in front of a cyclist who doesn’t have time to react and then runs into the door. The injuries that accompany dooring can be severe and even cause death. Under California law, a driver is to use caution when opening the car door and is prohibited from opening in front of a moving cyclist.
So, when an Uber car stops in the bike lane or the curb to let out a rider, and the rider opens the door on the side of the bike lane traffic lane if no bike lane, then any cyclists are at risk of getting doored.
Uber Bike Crash Liability
The company Uber carries a $1 million insurance policy to cover the negligent acts of their drivers. If the driver is at fault, then any injuries and financial losses that stem from the incident will be paid. However, this policy only covers when the Uber driver has accepted a ride from a paying customer. If there is an accident at any other time, then the Uber driver’s own insurance policy will cover damages.
In many cases, this will be sufficient, but the Uber drivers’ policy is allowed to have a $15,000 bodily injury cap which is significantly lower than the company’s policy.
What Should I Do if I Get Hit by an Uber Driver?
Bay Area Bicycle Law is the only personal injury law firm in Northern California to specialize exclusively in representing injured cyclists. Years of advocacy for bicycle victims have seasoned our attorneys with the necessary skills, knowledge base and familiarity to handle bicycle accident cases with the utmost level of professional expertise.
Contact us today for a free consultation. California cyclists who are injured by negligent drivers are entitled to a wide array of compensation. We will always offer you legal advice which is in your best interest.