With a vote of 21 to 1, a bill in the Florida House that would create regulations in the state for ridesharing companies has advanced out of its last committee. House Bill 221, which was sponsored by Republicans Chris Sprowls and Jamie Grant, would require several regulations to be complied with for ridesharing companies, such as Uber and Lyft. Some of these requirements are:
— Third party criminal background checks on drivers every three years.
— No one allowed to drive who has had three moving traffic violations in the previous three years.
— No one allowed to drive who has been convicted of a felony in the prior five years.
— No one allowed to drive who has a felony or misdemeanor conviction for sexual assault, DUI, fleeing from law enforcement or hit-and-run in the past five years.
— Insurance coverage by drivers worth $50,000 for bodily injury or death per person, $100,000 for bodily injury or death per incident and $25,000 for damage to property when picking up a passenger. The coverage must be a minimum of $1 million when a passenger is in the car.
Another point in the bill is that local governments can’t set their own regulations that conflict with the bill’s regulations.
Opponents to the bill say that the lack of vehicle inspections, which is required for most limousines and taxis, is a safety concern.
If you are involved in an accident while in a ridesharing vehicle, an attorney can help you determine your legal options for seeking compensation. There may be more defendants than just the vehicle driver.