DALLAS — It's a niche subject but it's important for sure.
As a longtime rideshare provider, a viewer wanted us to look into and share the rules for ridesharing when it comes to the risks of picking up unaccompanied minors.
For parent or guardians it's simple -- you have to ride with them as long as they’re a minor.
But for drivers, it’s more of a gray area.
You have to be 18 to create an account for both Uber and Lyft, but both companies advise drivers to decline a ride if they feel the passenger is a minor.
They technically can accept the ride, though, but there are some risks.
If the driver gets into a wreck, the company's insurance policy may not cover anything. This leaves the driver to pay any related bills because they violated the terms.
Or, the driver could be sued by the minor's guardian because they're supposed to cancel the ride.
Both Uber and Lyft say the smartest thing for drivers to is to decline the ride and let them know why, so they’re not left there confused.
Uber says if a driver thinks the rider may be in immediate danger, they should report those concerns to the Police.
Both companies encourage drivers to report requests from unaccompanied minors in the app.
This may have not been a topic you were concerned about at first, but it could save you a lot of trouble as a driver or a rider.
As always, if you have a traffic concern in your area, you can email us here.