Uber and Lyft market themselves as safe, convenient alternatives to driving. But for many passengers, rideshare trips have ended not in convenience—but in assault, sexual assault, kidnapping, or other violent crimes.
This article explains this issue both nationally and in Tennessee, what Tennessee law says, and what rights victims have after a rideshare-related assault.
Investigative reporting has revealed that the scope of rideshare sexual assault is far larger than what companies publicly disclose.
A New York Times investigation, based on sealed court records and litigation discovery, reported that 400,181 Uber trips in the United States from 2017–2022 resulted in reports of sexual assault or sexual misconduct. Uber publicly disclosed only 12,522 serious incidents during the same general period.
Tennessee has seen criminal prosecutions and civil lawsuits involving rideshare drivers accused of sexual assault and violent crimes. Publicly reported cases include allegations of rape, sexual battery, unlawful confinement, and assaults involving intoxicated passengers.
Relevant Tennessee criminal statutes include:
• Rape – Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-503
• Aggravated sexual battery – Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-504
• Sexual battery – Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-505
• False imprisonment – Tenn. Code Ann. § 39-13-302
Potentially, yes. Tennessee law allows claims against companies based on their own negligence even when they label drivers as independent contractors.
A company may be liable if it knew or should have known that a driver posed a foreseeable risk. Tennessee law recognizes negligent hiring as a legal cause of action, which means that when a company hires a person they should have known posed a threat to others and that person hurts someone while working the company can be sued for hiring the person in the first place.. See Doe v. Catholic Bishop for Diocese of Memphis, 306 S.W.3d 712 (Tenn. Ct. App. 2008).
Similarly if a company learns that a person who works for them is acting in a way that poses a risk to others while working the company can be sued for continuing to employ that person. See Gates v. McQuiddy Office Prods., 762 S.W.2d 242 (Tenn. 1988).
Uber and Lyft place drivers in positions of trust with minimal oversight, potentially supporting negligent supervision claims under Tennessee law.
Compliance with minimum statutory requirements does not eliminate negligence if additional precautions were reasonable.
Under Tenn. Code Ann. § 65-15-306, rideshare drivers are disqualified for certain criminal histories, including sex offender registry status and recent violent felonies. These are minimum standards, not a shield from liability.
Uber and Lyft often use forced arbitration clauses, which can keep cases out of public view. However arbitration clauses are not always enforceable, especially in sexual assault cases, depending on facts and contract formation.
Many civil assault claims in Tennessee must be filed within one year of the assault. See Tenn. Code Ann. § 28-3-104. Exceptions may apply in cases involving minors or delayed discovery.
Rideshare assault cases are often about systemic failures, not just individual drivers. Tennessee law allows victims to seek accountability when safety was sacrificed by rideshare companies failing to take responsibility for their drivers.
The following Tennessee examples—drawn from public reporting and court-related coverage—illustrate the types of violent crimes that have been alleged in connection with rideshare trips. These are not offered to sensationalize harm, but to show why courts and juries often view rideshare violence as foreseeable when companies rely on minimal screening and largely reactive safety systems.
Nashville / Davidson County (alleged passenger sexual assault by rideshare driver): FOX 17 reported on a Metro Nashville case in which a former rideshare driver was accused of sexually assaulting a passenger after a pickup in October 2023. Reporting indicated the suspect was later arrested out of state and awaited extradition back to Tennessee. Source: FOX 17 Nashville (WZTV): https://fox17.com/news/local/i-just-froze-nashville-survivor-speaks-after-alleged-rideshare-assault-suspect-captured-tennessee
Memphis / Shelby County (rape and kidnapping charges): Reporting described a Memphis Lyft driver charged with aggravated kidnapping and rape after a passenger reported being raped. Source: CBS-affiliate reporting: https://www.cbs8.com/article/news/crime/memphis-lyft-driver-charged-with-kidnapping-and-raping-passenger/522-5b1fec66-a384-46d0-9ec2-dcdcabc0ddcb
Chattanooga / Hamilton County (multi-count indictment involving Uber trip): NewsChannel 9 reported that an Uber driver was raped by a passenger and that the defendant was indicted on multiple counts, including aggravated rape, aggravated kidnapping, and aggravated sexual battery. Source: WTVC NewsChannel 9: https://newschannel9.com/news/local/that-was-agony-man-charged-with-raping-uber-driver-in-chattanooga
Civil lawsuit example (Middle Tennessee): FOX 17 reported on a federal lawsuit filed by a Nashville Uber driver alleging she was sexually assaulted by a passenger and that Uber failed to implement adequate protections for drivers—illustrating that rideshare violence can impact both passengers and drivers, and that civil litigation can follow criminal investigations. Source: FOX 17 Nashville (WZTV): https://fox17.com/news/local/nashville-uber-driver-sues-over-assault-questions-rideshare-safety-measures
