Uber and Lyft have changed how people get around Washington, DC. A ride is a few taps away after a late dinner, a flight into Reagan National, or a night out when driving home would mean risking a DUI. Most trips end without a problem. But every ride still means getting into a car with a stranger, and assaults involving drivers and passengers happen more often than most people think.
Here is what the numbers show, how to protect yourself, what to do if you are assaulted during a ride, and the legal options you have in DC.
How Common Are Assaults During Rideshare Trips?
Uber’s most recent U.S. Safety Report, released in August 2024, counted 2,717 reports in its five most serious categories of sexual assault on U.S. trips in 2021 and 2022, including 355 reports of non-consensual sexual penetration, the most serious category. That is about 1 report for every 700,000 trips. Drivers were the accused party in 68% of the reports and riders in 31%.
Lyft’s 2024 safety report counted 2,651 reports in the same five categories from 2020 through 2022.
Those official counts leave a lot out. Court records described in an August 2025 New York Times investigation show that 400,181 Uber trips in the U.S. from 2017 to 2022 led to reports of sexual assault or sexual misconduct, almost one every eight minutes. Uber said about 75% of those reports were less serious, such as comments about someone’s appearance or explicit language, and that the reports had not been audited. And many assaults are never reported at all: RAINN estimates that 73% of rapes and sexual assaults are never reported to police.
Physical assaults happen too. Uber counted 36 deaths from physical assaults on its U.S. platform in 2021 and 2022, up from its previous report, and Lyft counted 23 from 2020 through 2022. A disagreement over the route, the fare, or a passenger’s behavior can turn into shoving, punching, or worse. It is not always the passenger who gets hurt, either. Drivers are attacked by riders as well.
How to Protect Yourself Before You Get In
- Check the car. Match the license plate, the make and model, and the driver’s photo in the app before you open the door. Some of the worst attacks start when someone gets into the wrong car. Uber also offers PIN verification to help riders confirm they are getting into the right car.
- Ask, “Who are you here for?” Let the driver say your name instead of offering it. In 2019, a University of South Carolina student was killed after getting into a car she thought was her Uber. Her family and school started the “What’s My Name?” campaign to spread this simple habit.
- Sit in the back seat. It gives you more space and two ways out.
- Share your trip. Both apps let you send your live trip status to a friend or family member.
- Know where the emergency button is. Uber and Lyft both let you call 911 from inside the app and share your location and car details.
- Ask for a woman driver if you prefer one. Uber’s Women Preferences, available across the U.S., including Washington, DC, since March 2026, lets women riders request or reserve a woman driver. Lyft’s Women+ Connect offers a similar option for women and nonbinary riders. A match is not guaranteed.
- Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong, ask the driver to stop in a busy, well-lit public place and end the ride.
What to Do If You Are Assaulted During a Ride
- Get to a safe place and call 911. Get medical care, even if your injuries seem minor. Medical records also document what happened.
- Report it to the police. In DC, that is the Metropolitan Police Department. Ask for the report number.
- Save the evidence. Keep the trip receipt, which shows the driver’s name, the car, the license plate, the route, and the times. Take screenshots of any messages, photograph your injuries, and write down the names and phone numbers of anyone who saw what happened. Do not delete the app or the trip.
- Report it to Uber or Lyft through the app. The company holds GPS data and trip records that may matter later, and it can remove a dangerous driver from the platform.
- Write down what you remember while it is fresh: the times, what was said, and details about the driver and the car.
- Talk to a lawyer before you give a recorded statement to the rideshare company or an insurance company.
Can You Sue Uber or Lyft After an Assault?
You can bring a personal injury claim against the person who assaulted you, separate from any criminal case. You do not need a criminal conviction to file a civil claim, and a civil case can cover medical bills, lost wages, and the harm the attack caused.
Holding the company responsible is harder. Uber and Lyft treat drivers as independent contractors and often argue they are not responsible for what a driver does. A claim against the company may still be possible, for example when it failed to screen a driver properly, kept a driver on the app after earlier complaints, or ignored safety warnings. Every case turns on its facts.
Courts are now testing those defenses. Thousands of passenger sexual assault lawsuits against Uber have been gathered before one federal judge. In February 2026, a federal jury ordered Uber to pay $8.5 million to a passenger who said her driver sexually assaulted her, finding that the driver acted as Uber’s apparent agent even though Uber treats its drivers as independent contractors. It was the first win for a passenger in that litigation, though the jury rejected her other claims and awarded no punitive damages.
In May 2018, Uber and Lyft both said they would stop forcing individual sexual assault and sexual harassment claims into private arbitration, so survivors can take those claims to court. Other claims may still fall under the arbitration terms in each app’s user agreement, so have a lawyer read them before you decide how to proceed.
Filing Deadlines Are Short
In DC, a lawsuit for assault or battery generally must be filed within one year (D.C. Code § 12-301(a)(4)). Claims arising from sexual abuse get more time: generally at least five years, and often longer for survivors who were under 35 (§ 12-301(a)(11) and (12)). Negligence claims usually have three years. Maryland and Virginia set their own rules. Waiting too long can cost you the right to sue.
Accused of Assault After a Rideshare Trip?
Rideshare disputes also lead to criminal charges against riders and drivers. An argument over a route, a fare, a cancellation, or a spilled drink can end with a police report. In DC, a simple assault charge does not require an injury. Threatening someone in a menacing way can be enough.
These cases often turn on trip data, dashcam footage, and phone video, and that evidence can disappear quickly. If you have been charged, a defense lawyer can work to preserve it and make sure your side of the story is heard.
Hurt in an Uber or Lyft Crash?
Assaults are not the only way riders get hurt. If you were injured in a car accident during a rideshare trip, you may have a claim against the driver who caused it, and Uber and Lyft carry insurance that applies while a trip is in progress. These claims can involve more than one insurance policy, so get advice before you accept a settlement.
Talk to Bruckheim & Patel
Whether a rideshare driver hurt you, a passenger attacked you, or you were charged after a dispute, Bruckheim & Patel can review what happened and explain your options. The firm represents clients in Washington, DC, and Maryland from offices in DC and Rockville. Call (202) 930-3464 or send us a message to talk about your case.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Every case depends on its facts.