SAN FRANCISCO (WLNS) – Uber revealed in a safety report that more than 3,000 sexual assaults were reported during its U.S. rides in 2018.
That figure includes 229 rapes. The company says that both drivers and riders were attacked as well as some assaults occurring between riders.
The company also said Uber rides were involved in 58 traffic fatalities.
The Thursday report, which the company hailed as the first of its kind, provides a rare look into the traffic deaths, murders and reported sexual assaults that took place during billions of annual rides arranged in the U.S. using Uber’s service.
Safety should never be proprietary, and it’s our intention to make an impact well beyond our own company, encouraging others to be more transparent with their data and to share best practices that can make everyone safer.
Tony West, Uber Chief Legal Officer
Uber’s share price dropped more than 1% in after-hours trading, according to a report by The Associated Press.
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi tweeted about the report.
Uber and competitor Lyft have faced harsh criticism for not doing enough to protect the safety of their riders and drivers. Dozens of women are suing Lyft, claiming the company should have done more to protect them from driver assaults.
In 2017, the company counted 2,936 reported sexual assaults during 1 billion U.S. trips. Uber only bases its numbers on reports from riders and drivers.
