Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 46 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56R idesharing services like Uber and Lyft have be- come popular transportation options. It’s rare to step foot outside and not see car decals sport- ing the bright pink, faux-mustache logo of Lyft, or the monochromatic “U” representing Uber. The service works like this: You need a ride, so you contact a ride- sharing service from your smartphone (via an app). For a fee (that you usually pay for through your app), a private driver picks you up and takes you to your de- sired location. The service can be cheaper than a taxi or limo and is usually convenient, accessible and reliable. Are rideshare services safe? While most cab drivers are employees of a cab com- pany and use company vehicles, rideshare drivers typically are classified as independent contractors and use their own vehicles. Compared to taxi services, which are heavily regulated at the state and local levels, ridesharing services are relatively free of government restrictions. Many people hail ridesharing services for revolution- izing how people get around. Others are critical of ridesharing services, citing safety concerns, contend- ing that qualification standards for ridesharing drivers are not as high as they are for taxi drivers. They argue that drivers of privately owned vehicles are not held to the same inspection standards as taxi drivers. Another concern is the question of liability for ridesharing driv- ers involved in car accidents. A few years ago, the CATO Institute issued a report that looked closely at the safety of ridesharing services, such as Uber and Lyft. The report concluded that “there is little evidence that shared economy services are more dangerous than traditional taxis” and that “concerns about the safety risks of ridesharing are overblown.” But what happens when general risks of the road enter the equation? On average, there are over six million car accidents annually on U.S. roads, with an accident lead- ing to injury occurring every 14 seconds. Even while taking the highest level of precaution, hits happen. So what happens if hits happen when you’re a passenger in an Uber or Lyft vehicle? Does insurance cover injuries caused by Uber and Lyft drivers? The short answer is, yes. Rideshare companies carry commercial automotive insurance. However, deter- mining the coverage amount and when the policies are active can be complicated. 36