Lyft's first security report reveals more than 4,000 attacks between 2017-2019

The company revealed in its first safety report that ten people were killed and more than 4,000 attacked in physical combat during Lyft rides from 2017-2019. Also during that period, 105 people died in fatal vehicle accidents involving Lyft cars.

The report was long overdue, at least two years after Lyft originally said it would be published. It represents the first set of publicly available data about the safety of Lyft's ride-hailing platform and how it compares to the national US average. The company is currently facing multiple lawsuits from victims of sexual assault and rape.

While the numbers appear to paint a darker picture of the ride-hailing industry, Lyft insists that serious incidents in its vehicles are "statistically rare". "The type of safety incidents detailed in this report occurred on 0.0002 percent of rides," Jennifer Brandenberger, Head of Policy Development and Research, wrote in a blog post, "and more than 99 percent of rides occur without a safety report." ""

Reports of sexual harassment in Lyft rides increased from 1,096 in 2017 to 1,807 in 2019. But the company said bookings grew at a higher rate during that time, resulting in a 19 percent drop in the overall incident rate.

“While security incidents on our platform are incredibly rare, we think there is an even bigger incident,” Brandenburger said. "Behind every report is a real person and a real experience, and we aim to make every Lyft ride as safe as possible."

Ride-hailing companies have long struggled to keep riders and drivers safe from each other. In its safety report, Uber revealed that there were 3,045 sexual assaults on Uber trips in 2018 and another 3,000 in 2019. Additionally, nine people died during Uber rides, and 58 people died in auto-related accidents. Uber said drivers reported being victims of similar attacks as riders.

Lyft's spin on the report, as grim as the numbers may be, is akin to Uber's take on its own data. Lyft, which makes fewer trips than Uber, did not disclose the total number of rides shown in its report, but at 0.0002 percent, the incident rate was the same as Uber.

Driver groups criticized Lyft for not paying attention to safety, especially as it pertains to drivers. Reports suggest that 10 drivers were killed in the deadly attacks. "Lyft frames these deaths as anomalies," Gig Workers Rising Group said in a statement. “The truth is that ten people have died. Their families have received no support from Lyft. "

In 2019, 19 women sued Lyft for allegedly failing to prevent sexual harassment by drivers and doing little to investigate complaints. A California woman who says she was raped by a Lyft driver in 2017 also sued the company in September for failing to keep riders safe, while 14 additional women sexually assaulted her in September. Harassed, sued Lyft to deal with complaints.

Both Uber and Lyft conduct background checks and say the safety of passengers is their top priority. They've largely attempted to tackle the problem through tech updates like an in-app "panic button," which lets riders dial 911 immediately, or ways to report a driver for unsafe activity.

Earlier this year, the companies together announced a "first of its kind" effort to share information about drivers who were incapacitated to commit serious crimes, including physical and sexual assault and murder. Was. Drivers are classified as independent contractors, not employees, which means they can - and often do - drive for both companies.