When new technology transforms our lives, it can be difficult to remember what life was like before those technologies existed. For example, it was only 1989 when the first Internet service providers offered the public Internet access for a fixed monthly fee. Today, most homes have rapid Internet download speeds, Netflix access and similar technologies that are taken for granted.
Similarly, ride-sharing has changed the way we think of transportation since the first ride-sharing service arrived on the scene.
The Ride-Sharing Industry Has Enjoyed a Rapid Rise Since 2011
Contrary to what you might expect, the first ride-sharing company was not Uber, which today has cornered between 70 and 80% of the ride-sharing market. In 2011, two Michigan alums created a company called Sidecar, with the goal of replacing car transportation with rides hailed from an iPhone.
Shortly thereafter, Uber and other competitors joined this niche yet growing industry, and today ride-sharing drivers can and do earn more than $1 billion annually in a single area. Bay Area Uber drivers alone earned more than $1 billion in 2017.
This brief look at ride-sharing’s rapid rise is a reminder that the laws surrounding ride-sharing are more novel than the recent advent of ride-sharing itself. After all, lawmakers scrambled to pass laws on ride-sharing in large cities and states alike once it became clear that the industry was here to stay.
The Legal Landscape of Ride-Sharing Is Far From Settled
That said, the debates among lawmakers on how to best regulate this still-growing industry are far from over. For one thing, the ride-sharing industry’s push toward self-driving cars will almost certainly include new laws, regulations and limitations on how that eventual transformation will take place.
Even when self-driving cars are not considered, however, some states are only now getting on board with the legality of Uber statewide. Take Alabama, for example. Uber has been allowed in the state’s larger cities for a while now, but Uber was not allowed to operate statewide and in Alabama’s rural areas until a law that took effect in 2018. Today, Uber is allowed statewide in more than 40 states, but even in those states, the laws surrounding ride-sharing will almost certainly continue to evolve.
Even in well-established fields of law, evolutions occur. But legal growing pains and necessary changes are often most needed when new industries arise, such as ride-sharing. Whether legal changes will occur pertaining to ride-sharing insurance coverage litigation or self-driving car laws, the law surrounding ride-sharing accidents is almost certainly far from settled.
As such, responsible ride-sharing accident lawyers will continue to stay current with the latest legal changes in order to best represent accident victims. At The Ledger Law Firm, we stay current on the latest happenings related to both ride-sharing law and the ride-sharing industry, and regular readers of our blog can expect to receive important legal updates in this field.
If you or a loved one has been injured in a ride-sharing accident, you deserve a legal team that is up to date with current laws, insurance regulations and similar factors that can impact your ability to maximize the compensation you deserve to receive. Contact us online for a free consultation with a Ledger Law ride-sharing accident lawyer today.
