Crackdown aims at ride-hailing safety

Impersonating a ride-hailing driver in Chicago will soon be costly - both in time and in money.

Spurred by a "rash" of recent attacks on intoxicated passengers stumbling out of downtown bars, the City Council's Public Safety Committee agreed Thursday to impose a minimum, $10,000 fine and up to 180 days in jail against anyone posing as a driver for Uber, Lyft or Via. The maximum fine would be $20,000 for each offense.

Downtown Ald. Brendan Reilly said young party goers are "making the very good decision" not to drive downtown for a night of drinking. But too often, they "look at that as a license" to over-indulge.

"In the last two years, four women have been raped by fake ride share drivers. We've had a number of incidents of people being robbed at gunpoint in alleys just feet from where they're picked up," he said. "The one common thread here is that, typically, these folks have consumed a substantial amount of alcohol."

Chicago Police Lt. John Cannon said the ordinance will allow police to take a "more pro-active approach" to a growing problem: criminals using the ride-share ruse to commit more serious offenses.

For the full story, click <URL destination="https://chicago.suntimes.com/city-hall/2020/2/6/21126441/uber-lyft-driver-impersonate-passenger-attacks-chicago-city-council-fines">here.