What Do These New Legal Complaints Allege About Ride-Sharing Safety?
Twenty-four women and three men have filed lawsuits against Uber, claiming drivers sexually assaulted them between 2017 and 2024. The two separate legal complaints, submitted to San Francisco Superior Court on February 10, 2025, detail allegations including groping, indecent exposure, stalking, and rape. Plaintiffs argue Uber failed to properly screen drivers and misrepresented its safety standards despite acknowledging sexual assault problems in a 2019 company report. The ride-sharing company declined to comment specifically on the pending litigation but stated they take sexual assault reports “very seriously.”
5 Key Points
- Two lawsuits filed Monday in San Francisco accused Uber drivers of sexually assaulting 27 passengers across California and New York between 2017 and 2024.
- One plaintiff alleges she was raped in the backseat of an Uber vehicle, while others report groping, indecent exposure, and being prevented from exiting vehicles.
- A female passenger was hospitalized after her Uber was involved in a T-bone crash that occurred while the driver allegedly attempted to grope her.
- Both legal complaints cite Uber’s 2019 safety report acknowledging driver sexual assaults as evidence the company knew about but failed to adequately address the problem.
- Plaintiffs claim Uber negligently marketed itself as a “safer, better alternative” while failing to implement thorough driver screening processes.
What Sexual Misconduct Allegations Do the Lawsuits Contain?
The first lawsuit, brought by 21 women and two men, contains multiple accounts of sexual misconduct by Uber drivers. Among the most serious allegations, one unnamed female plaintiff states she was raped in the backseat of a driver’s vehicle. The woman, who, like all plaintiffs, remains anonymous in court documents, describes a traumatic assault that occurred during what should have been a routine ride.
Another female victim required hospitalization after the Uber she was riding in became involved in a T-bone collision when her driver allegedly attempted to grope her thighs while operating the vehicle. The impact was severe enough to warrant medical treatment, compounding the trauma of the sexual assault with physical injuries.
The legal complaint also details a male passenger who reports being stalked by an Uber driver after experiencing sexual assault during a ride. Multiple female plaintiffs describe incidents where drivers exposed themselves during trips, creating situations where passengers felt trapped and unsafe in moving vehicles. Several women report being unable to immediately escape the threatening situations due to the vehicles being in motion.
The second lawsuit, filed separately but on the same day, includes accusations from three women and one man. One female plaintiff states a driver touched her breasts without consent during what she expected to be a safe ride home. Another woman alleges a driver refused to allow her to exit the vehicle after touching her thighs, effectively holding her captive while continuing unwanted advances. The third female plaintiff reports being forcibly kissed by a driver who ignored her explicit rejections. In contrast, the male plaintiff alleges a driver attempted to grope his genitals during a ride.
The alleged victims span different age groups and backgrounds, with incidents occurring in both urban and suburban settings across California and New York between 2017 and 2024. The lawsuits indicate that many of the assaults took place during late-night rides, with some plaintiffs reporting they had specifically chosen Uber because of the company’s safety marketing.
How Did Uber Allegedly Fail to Protect Passengers?
The plaintiffs in both cases accuse Uber of negligence and argue the company misrepresented its safety protocols. The lawsuits specifically cite a 2019 Uber safety report that acknowledged sexual assaults had occurred, claiming this demonstrates the company’s awareness of the issue without taking sufficient action to prevent further incidents.
“Uber has fraudulently marketed itself as a safer, better alternative to other methods of transportation, particularly targeting young, intoxicated women and late-night riders with false representations that it enforces state-of-the-art safety policies and procedures,” states the complaint filed on behalf of 23 plaintiffs.
The legal documents allege Uber failed to conduct thorough background checks when screening driver applicants. Both suits argue the company created a false sense of security by marketing itself as offering safe transportation while knowing its drivers had committed sexual assaults against passengers.
The plaintiffs’ attorneys contend that despite having knowledge of sexual misconduct issues for years, Uber did not implement adequate safeguards to protect passengers from predatory drivers. The lawsuits seek unspecified damages for the alleged victims.
How Has Uber Responded to These Sexual Assault Claims?
When contacted about the lawsuits, Uber declined to address the specific allegations but provided a statement emphasizing their commitment to passenger safety.
“Sexual assault is a tragic crime, and we take any report of this nature very seriously,” an Uber spokesperson said in an email response on February 12, 2025. “While we cannot comment on pending litigation, we are committed to keeping safety at the forefront of everything we do by building features and policies to help make the platform safer for all users.”
The company did not elaborate on what specific safety features or policy changes it has implemented or plans to implement in response to sexual assault concerns. Uber has previously introduced safety features, including an emergency button within its app, ride recording options in some markets, and driver background checks.
The ride-sharing company has faced similar lawsuits in the past. In 2022, Uber settled a previous case involving approximately 550 women who alleged drivers assaulted them, though terms of that settlement were not disclosed.
FAQ
Q: How many people have filed lawsuits against Uber for sexual assault in these new cases?
A: A total of 27 people (24 women and 3 men) have filed two separate lawsuits against Uber, alleging sexual assault by drivers.
Q: When did these alleged sexual assaults occur?
A: The alleged incidents took place between 2017 and 2024 in California and New York.
Q: What types of sexual misconduct are alleged in the lawsuits?
A: The allegations include rape, groping, indecent exposure, forcible kissing, preventing passengers from exiting vehicles, and stalking.
Q: What are the plaintiffs claiming Uber did wrong?
A: The lawsuits accuse Uber of negligence, failure to properly screen drivers, and misrepresenting its safety standards despite knowing about sexual assault problems since at least 2019.
Q: Has Uber responded to these allegations?
A: Uber declined to comment specifically on the lawsuits but stated that sexual assault is “a tragic crime” that they take “very seriously” and that they are “committed to keeping safety at the forefront” of their operations.
Q: Where were these lawsuits filed?
A: Both lawsuits were filed in San Francisco Superior Court on February 10, 2025.
Q: Has Uber faced similar lawsuits before?
A: Yes, Uber has faced previous sexual assault lawsuits. In 2022, the company settled a case involving approximately 550 women who alleged drivers assaulted them.
Citations
McLaughlin, Michael. (February 12, 2025). Uber drivers sexually assaulted 24 women, 3 men, lawsuits say. The San Francisco Standard. https://sfstandard.com/2025/02/12/uber-lawsuits-passengers-accuse-drivers-sexual-msiconduct/
