Uber Tightens Driver Checks Amid Rising Lawsuits and Safety Concerns

Uber just raised the bar for driver background checks in the US. The company expanded its list of disqualifying criminal convictions. This move aims to tighten safety after years of sexual assault lawsuits.

Violent felonies like armed robbery, aggravated assault, arson, child abuse, strangulation, and stalking now disqualify drivers no matter how old the conviction is. Previously, some offenses older than seven years were overlooked. Uber already barred people convicted of sexual assault, sex crimes against minors, murder, kidnapping, and terrorism.

Other offenses such as DUI, reckless driving, theft, fraud, harassment, and violating protective orders disqualify applicants if they happened within seven years. Driving without a license or insurance convictions are banned if they occurred in the last three years. Longtime drivers without major safety complaints and no sexual felonies can keep driving if their offense is over 15 years old—affecting roughly 2,000 drivers nationwide.

Uber employs third-party background checkers that scour federal, national, state, and local records. They check federal courts, the National Sex Offender Public Website, international sanctions lists, and terrorism databases. The company now uses 99-year or lifetime Social Security number traces for initial and annual re-screenings.

This crackdown comes after Uber paid $8.5 million to settle a rape claim by a 19-year-old in Arizona. Sexual assault lawsuits have swarmed the company for years. As of June 1, 2026, Uber faced 3,571 consolidated lawsuits in federal court in San Francisco. One lawsuit, filed June 26, 2026, by Detroit’s Police and Fire Retirement System, accuses Uber’s board and executives of ignoring safety warnings and harassment cases.

The lawsuit claims Uber knew sexual assault and misconduct were persistent but failed to act. Proposed safety measures like in-car cameras and matching women riders with women drivers were delayed or rejected. Uber declined cameras to avoid controlling drivers too tightly, preserving their classification as independent contractors.

Critics say Uber skimped on compliance and downplayed complaints, fueling ongoing lawsuits and damaging its reputation. Uber and Lyft sued New York City in June 2026 to block legislation removing unsuitable drivers. Uber’s insurance reserves stand at about $12 billion, a buffer for these risks.

Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi, who took over in 2017 from Travis Kalanick, leads the company through this turmoil. While less aggressive on regulation than his predecessor, Khosrowshahi still tries to save resources on compliance. Yet Uber’s stock has dropped over 25% since September 22, 2025.

Uber insists its safety incidents remain “exceptionally rare” and that it constantly works to make trips safer. The company also defends the new background checks as fair for drivers who have rebuilt their lives. “We believe this is the right thing to do for drivers who have demonstrated good behavior on and off the Uber platform,” the company said.

But lawsuits paint a harsher picture. One complaint states: “Uber’s leadership has a long history of devoting insufficient resources to customer safety and protection, and setting a tone of non-compliance for the organization.” The current legal battle is a derivative suit aiming to make Uber’s directors compensate the company for breaches of fiduciary duties. Khosrowshahi is among the defendants.

Meanwhile, Uber also faces accusations of refusing service to passengers with disabilities, including those with service animals and foldable wheelchairs. The company’s struggle to balance growth, driver independence, and rider safety continues to cost it in court and on the stock market.