An Uber driver allowed two teenaged passengers to ride on the roof of his SUV in New York and one of them died. The driver allegedly accepted $40 from three boys in exchange for letting two of them ride on the roof of his vehicle during a trip in Long Island in September.
During the trip, a 15-year-old boy fell from the roof and hit his head, which later led to his death. Another passenger, a 16-year-old boy, filmed the stunt for Snapchat. The driver was charged with a single count of manslaughter. According to the district attorney in charge of the case, the three boys were picked up from a Long Island 7-Eleven just after midnight and had been drinking.
During the stunt, one boy fell from the car and hit his head badly while they were riding on the roof at a speed of up to 30 miles an hour. The Uber driver then dropped them off at one of their houses without calling 911. The boy who hit his head died from his injuries in his sleep that night. The cause of death was blunt force trauma to the head. The driver’s license was suspended, and he is awaiting trial. Uber said that it is troubled by the incident, and the driver has been permanently removed from the app.
This incident is the latest in a series of troubling events that were caused by rideshare drivers. Rideshare companies, such as Uber and Lyft, often fail to do proper driving and background checks. Virtually all of the hiring process is done online. In addition, many passengers use rideshare companies because they have been drinking, which can lead them vulnerable to harm from drivers.
If you have been harmed by a rideshare driver, you should speak with an attorney. Call me, Conal Doyle, Los Angeles rideshare accident attorney at 310-385-0567. You may have a legal right to sue the rideshare company, the driver, or both. Call today to learn more or to schedule a free consultation.