Rideshare

My Uber Driver Assaulted Me. What Do I Do Now?

By July 10, 2026No Comments
Person in a car using a smartphone with wired earphones plugged in, resting on a door panel edge.

You get in the car and you don’t think about it — the app matched you, the driver’s rated, it’s fine. That’s the whole intent of rideshares like Uber and Lyft: making getting into a stranger’s car feel normal. But Uber and Lyft have spent years hiding their sexual assault data from the public, and what little they’ve released shows that this isn’t a rare thing. So if something happened to you on your ride, it wasn’t nothing. Here’s what to do — right now, and in the hours after.

Here’s what to do if your Uber driver touches you in a way that feels creepy:

1

Make Sure You're Safe.

If you are in immediate danger and your driver is refusing to let you out of the vehicle, always call 911 first. If you feel threatened, get out of the car as soon as it’s physically possible and call 911 (call from inside the car, if you’re able to). Get to a public place (preferrably a busy, well populated and well-lit location) or to people who can physically and emotionally support you.

Even if the incident happened days or weeks ago, please validate it anyway. The chances are great you’ll wish you had later on. Don’t let this slide. Documentation is a big deal, even though we know you’re upset and would rather sweep it under the rug. This is you taking care of you in real time and protecting yourself after the dust settles.

2

Report It to the Police.

A police report matters so much because it creates an official record and can trigger an investigation; it becomes a key piece of evidence if you decide to take legal action later.

Write down or text yourself an account of what happened, the driver’s name, license plate number, vehicle description, location and time. Trauma can affect memory, so recording detail early can be incredibly valuable and can make or break your lawsuit down the line.

Bring a support person with you to the police precinct for moral support. (We understand that doing this can feel overwhelming.)

Also, please consider a medical check-in. Even if you don’t think you were physically harmed, a medical evaluation will document your overall condition in an official medical record, and advocates can connect you with immediate resources like counseling. Again, since it is proven that trauma may not show up right away, medical records can help support your claim.

3

Document Everything While It's Fresh.

Even if you’re unsure whether you’ll report what happened or pursue legal action, preserving evidence now gives you options later. Take screenshots of the trip history, receipts, driver’s profile, and any app messages. Also take photos of any visible injuries, plus write down what happened in your own words with dates, times, and any exact details you remember including whether someone witnessed the incident.

We know it’s difficult focusing on a dismal + creepy experience, but documentation is something you do for yourself and preserves your options whether or not you ever decide to take legal action.

We don’t want you to be the woman who wishes she’d understood the urgent need to record the deets while they’re burning hot in your brain.

Straight talk: It’s vital to Keep Everything (Even When You Don’t Want To).

4

Report the Driver to Uber (or Lyft).

When you report the incident through the app, it can help flag dangerous drivers within the platform and creates a record of your incident that’s within the Uber (or Lyft) system.

Here’s a step-by-step on how to submit a report through the app:

  •  
  • Log in to the app.
  • Go to the menu and select “Your Trips.”
  • Choose the trip during which the incident occurred.
  • Tap on “Help” and then select “Report Safety Issue.”
  • Provide details about the incident, including the inappropriate touching.
5

Reach Out for Support.

Experiencing assault can have lasting effects that don’t always appear immediately. Setting up a support system now can help you process at your own pace.

Consider reaching out to:

  • A trusted friend or family member.
  • A licensed therapist.
  • A sexual assault advocacy organization.
  • A victim advocate.
6

Investigate Your Legal Options.

This may not be the first thing you think of after an Uber driver assaulted you, but it is an important part of your healing and can have a significant impact.

We champion civil lawsuits, those that go after negligent companies (not individual assailants) for putting you at risk with, say, slipshod employee screening or not incorporating logical safety systems. Uber, for instance, has spent a fortune on highly sophisticated – tested – safety systems without incorporating many of them in the United States. Civil law is designed to pursue substantive financial compensation from greedy Big Bads to allay survivor suffering and aid with medical + emotional recovery and demand systemic change.

In February 2026, a federal judge ruled Uber must pay $8.5 million to a woman who who was raped by her Uber driver on a trip in November 2023. The groundbreaking verdict dismissed Uber’s standing argument that it could not be held liable for the behavior of its drivers.

The Uber lawsuit is not a class action where every plaintiff is treated exactly the same or a criminal case where the perpetrator is punished with prison time. Rather, this is a mass tort where plaintiffs’ cases are reviewed individually + awarded different amounts, typically depending on the severity of the injury.

Rainy night view through a car's rear window; droplets on the glass with a softly lit street scene outside, including buildings and lights.

You Don’t Have to Figure This Out Alone — A Case for Women Is Here For You.

Fighting sexual assault is smack in our wheelhouse. Since 2019, we’ve helped more than 4,000 women participate in lawsuits just against Uber and Lyft. We connect women with experienced law firms at no charge up front.

For our many one-on-one services, all designed to empower you, we charge you nothing. Ever. Here is a handful of some other pivotal sexual assault cases we’ve been involved:

Since 2015, we’ve helped tens of thousands of women pursue justice for themselves and loved ones through the lens of civil law. But in a way we’re just getting started. Reach out to us and we’ll reach right back, 24/7/365. We’re here to help you. We know how.