Impaired Uber Drivers: Watch Out for These Warning Signs

One (or more) of the five kinds of driver impairment discussed below causes over half of the Uber crashes in New Jersey. Since ridesharing operators are commercial drivers with a duty of utmost care, which is stricter than the duty of reasonable care that most drivers have, almost any degree of impairment is a breach of duty. If a breach of duty causes injury, compensation is available.

A Uber accident lawyer goes to court and forces Uber, which is financially responsible for damage in most cases, to pay this compensation. However, whenever possible, we try to stop car accidents before they happen. This post helps passengers recognize the signs of Uber driver impairment and how they should react to the danger these drivers pose.

Distracted Drivers

Most people safely multitask their way through the day. A friend of ours once claimed she could simultaneously feed her infant, cook dinner, talk on the phone, pour a glass of milk, and yell at her older kids. 

Multitasking in the kitchen is one thing. Multitasking behind the wheel is quite another thing. The kitchen is a static environment that’s mostly free of injury hazards. A New Jersey street or highway is a constantly changing environment that’s fraught with injury hazards. Drivers need every ounce of concentration to avoid these hazards.

Uber encourages its drivers to use hands-free electronic devices. This policy encourages distracted driving.

For several reasons, hands free doesn’t mean risk free. In fact, the opposite is true. Concentration delay is one example. After drivers enter commands on their devices, such as changing a map’s configuration, they don’t fully re-engage with driving for at least twenty-five seconds. 

If an Uber driver taps a screen more than twice a minute, consider ending the ride, getting out of the car, and reporting the driver.Drivers who spend too much time on their devices on one trip will most likely do the same thing again on future trips, placing other passengers at risk.
Legal representation for Uber victims in East Orange, NJ.

Fatigued Drivers

Most Uber drivers have full-time commitments elsewhere. By the time they get behind the wheel, they’re physically and mentally fatigued. 

This extreme fatigue affects reaction time and other motor skills. A slight extra delay could be tragic. Assume Jerry is following Ben in traffic. If Ben slams on his brakes unexpectedly and Jerry is wide awake, he can probably stop in time to avoid a rear-end collision. But if Jerry is drowsy, he may not be able to react quickly enough.

Even low-speed wreck damage often causes thousands of dollars to repair. Likewise, even a low-speed wreck often causes serious injuries, such as whiplash. Motion, as opposed to a trauma impact, usually causes this head-neck injury. Its initial symptoms, such as neck stiffness and general disorientation, mimic accident shock, a temporary condition that’s almost completely harmless.

But whiplash is neither temporary nor harmless. Most head injuries are permanent. Dead brain cells don’t regenerate. Furthermore, if not properly and promptly treated, whiplash causes paralysis.

Weaving is a classic sign of fatigue. Passengers should also avoid using Ubers early in the morning or late at night, if possible. Most people are naturally drowsy at these hours.

Drunk Drivers

The effects of alcohol and the effects of fatigue are very similar. Both conditions compromise motor skills and judgement ability.

If Ben was drinking, he can’t quickly and accurately determine the distance between his vehicle and another one or the amount of time before a light changes color, especially when he’s behind the wheel in a fluid environment.

Erratic driving may be the best sign of alcohol impairment. Other signs that Uber passengers should look for include physical symptoms such as:

• Bloodshot eyes,
• Odor of alcohol,
• Slurred speech, and
• Unsteady hands.

The effects of alcohol normally don’t wear off for at least six hours. If Ben had a beer at lunch and he drives Uber for extra money after work, he’s dangerously impaired when he’s behind the wheel, even though he probably feels fine.

Before you get in an Uber, especially if the driver was operating erratically prior to pickup, don’t hesitate to ask the driver when s/he last had something to drink. The driver may get defensive and even cancel the ride. If that happens, the driver was more than likely dangerously impaired.

Stoned Drivers

Drug use and fatigue often overlap. Many commercial drivers use amphetamines behind the wheel. These drugs may help these people feel more alert for a few minutes. But these drugs don’t address the underlying effects of fatigue, such as poor judgment and motor skills. Furthermore, when amphetamines wear off, users typically crash fast and hard.

Stoned driving is also a standalone problem. Marijuana use is a good example. The widespread decriminalization of marijuana, along with news stories promoting the safety of this substance, have led many people to believe that marijuana is relatively harmless.

That might be true, when people use small amounts of marijuana at parties. But it’s illegal, and dangerous, to drive under the influence of marijuana.

The physical symptoms of marijuana use mirror the physical symptoms of alcohol use in many ways. Also look for distinctive traits, such as glassy eyes or weak arms. Other telltale signs include the distinctive smell of marijuana and pill bottles in the front seat.

Sick Drivers

Extreme medical conditions that could cause a loss of consciousness, such as epilepsy and heart disease, are almost impossible to detect without medical tests. It’s obviously not feasible to do a blood test on an Uber driver. 

A moderate medical condition, such as the flu, is much easier to detect and, in many ways, just as dangerous. The flu doesn’t cause sudden and unexpected loss of consciousness, at least not in most cases. However, the flu and other such illness cause clear physical symptoms, such as:

• Sneezing,
• Bloodshot eyes,
• Coughing,
• Watery eyes, and
• Nasal drainage.

These symptoms are very distracting for the people around sick individuals, and also distracting for the sick individuals themselves. In fact, according to one study, flu-like symptoms diminish driving capacity by over 50 percent. 

The symptoms also have a crossover effect. Many people with these symptoms take over-the-counter medications which cause drowsiness or feelings of intoxication.

Don’t get in the car with a sick Uber driver. Cancel the ride, report the driver, and order another ride. When people report drivers, the drivers usually have opportunities to tell their sides of the story before Uber takes adverse action.

Reach Out to a Dedicated County Lawyer

Injury victims are entitled to significant compensation. For a free consultation with an experienced personal injury lawyer in Jersey City, NJ, contact CourtLaw. We do not charge upfront legal fees in these matters.
Our law firm proudly serves Trenton, NJ.