Uber’s Safety Failures: When Business Goals Trump Rider Safety

Every eight minutes. That’s how frequently Uber received a report of sexual assault or misconduct in the United States between 2017 and 2022, according to recently revealed court records. In total, more than 400,000 Uber trips in that period involved reports of sexual assault or sexual misconduct, a staggering figure that far exceeds what Uber has publicly disclosed.

By contrast, Uber’s official safety reports claimed only about 12,500 incidents of “serious” sexual assaults in that timeframe. This discrepancy suggests the company downplayed the true scope of the problem by only counting the most severe categories of assault, while omitting hundreds of thousands of other reports.

Court Records Reveal the Truth

These new figures emerged from sealed court documents obtained in ongoing litigation against Uber. According to The New York Times, Uber averaged one sexual misconduct report every 8 minutes in the U.S.

Over six years, that amounted to 400,181 passenger reports of sexual assault or misconduct, ranging from lewd remarks to rape. Yet Uber’s public U.S. Safety Reports, which the company touted as a transparency effort, only included the five most severe categories of sexual assault — totaling 12,522 incidents between 2017 and 2022.

That means 16 other categories of sexual misconduct that Uber internally tracked were never included in public reports. About 75% of incidents, such as harassment, unwanted touching, or inappropriate comments, were effectively hidden.

Uber Chose Business Over Safety

Internally, Uber knew about thousands of complaints every year. Data showed 3,000–7,000 reports of sexual assault annually, with a significant number of cases involving non-consensual touching and rape.

Equally troubling is the evidence that Uber’s own safety team developed tools to reduce risks — but many were never implemented when they conflicted with the company’s bottom line. Potential safety measures included:

• Driver-passenger matching systems that could pair women riders with women drivers.

• In-car cameras or recording features to document misconduct.

• Algorithms to flag high-risk situations before they happen.

Despite testing these measures, Uber leadership often shelved them out of fear that drivers might quit or costs would rise.

Protecting Yourself and Seeking Help

The disturbing truth is that rider safety has too often taken a backseat to profits. While Uber and Lyft remain convenient transportation options, passengers must remain aware of the risks.

If you or a loved one has been a victim of sexual assault during a rideshare trip, you are not alone. Consider reaching out to:

• Law enforcement to report the crime.

• The National Sexual Assault Hotline at RAINN.org or 1-800-656-4673.

• A trusted legal professional who can explain your rights and potential claims.

At Bordas & Bordas, our attorneys serve clients in West Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania who have suffered serious harm because of corporate negligence and misconduct. We stand ready to help victims pursue justice and hold powerful companies accountable.