Question

Recently, an Uber driver lost control and killed his passengers. The driver was drunk. Should Uber be liable for the conduct of its driver in this situation? Why or why not?

Answer 1

Cab driver's behavior in the above stated situation is totally unacceptable and under federal laws he is liable to be persecuted for the heinous crime he committed.

Since cab driver was on duty during the time he committed the crime, here Uber hold a vicarious liability under which Uber should setup internal committee and assess the situation in hand and punish him under company’s the terms and conditions.

On the other hand, since Uber’s business model is based on the gig economy model, Uber cant be solely responsible for the driver's action, since Uber clearly mentions that cab drivers are not its employees but contractors, company cant be hold responsible for each employee’s actions.

But in the long run, if Uber wants to work without facing any unwanted controversy it should develop a robust screening process where the drivers are assessed properly in all necessary aspects required to be a good driver.
Plus from time to time it should conduct worskshops and seminars for drivers focussing on cultivating good work ethics and maintaing good work life balance.