Watch out! There’s a new rideshare app in town: Alto, coming to 10 more U.S. cities pronto! If you haven’t heard of them, it may be because as of now, people can only ride Alto in cities like Houston, Dallas, Miami, Los Angeles, and D.C.
They’ve marketed themselves as the more ethical and safe alternative to their contemporaries. With their drivers compensated with benefits and a consistent hourly wage, this rivals other rideshare apps who have been under fire for not compensating their drivers adequately.
But in terms of driving safety, will Alto’s claim hold up?
A Brief Look At Other Rideshare Driver Apps
When rideshare apps like Uber and Lyft were first introduced around the 2010s, they painted an image of themselves as the cheaper and safer options for commuters; and the public seems to be in agreement with this sentiment. Uber rides cost as cheap as $8 in their early years, which then resulted in them being popular with riders, especially those who didn’t want to take their car for a night out.
Unfortunately for them, the prices have significantly increased since its merry years. Not to mention, the claim that they are safer alternatives have now been debunked by a study done by the University of Chicago.
Prior to the apps’ launch in the United States, traffic fatalities were steadily decreasing. But the service provided by these apps seemed to have the opposite effect in terms of safety. Per the aforementioned study, the emergence of Uber and Lyft among other rideshare apps have been found to account for the increase of 3% of traffic fatalities and accidents per year starting the year 2010, which is around the same year they were introduced to the masses.
The researchers speculate that this significant shift may be attributed to the fact that Uber and Lyft rely on a large number of their drivers to be on the road just in case a rider wants to quickly acquire their services. As a result, more cars are on the road, leading to more potential accidents.
The Potential Problems Of The Alto Car Service
While Alto beats their competitors in that they train their drivers themselves, they fail to specify how they’re fulfilling this endeavor other than that they are tasked to disinfect the car rigorously before every ride. This is meant to serve as an added precaution to combat COVID-19 which, admittedly, is a nice touch on their part.
Regardless, whether their drivers are trained to be safe on the road remains vague: Is Alto a safer alternative to Lyft and Uber because of these added precautions, or are drivers themselves trained and given incentives to operate as safely as possible? If it’s the latter, to what standards are the drivers being upheld?
Moreover, given that the mere presence of rideshare drivers has led to an increase in car accidents (3% per year!), is Alto truly going to be a part of the solution to the burgeoning car accidents in Los Angeles? The answer remains unclear.
And you know what? Perhaps time is the only thing that can illuminate the answer to this mystery.
Rideshare Insurance
Alto maintains automobile liability insurance for all vehicles that provide service through the Alto platform. Alto maintains liability insurance in case of a covered accident in the following amounts:
$1,000,000 liability
Uninsured and/or underinsured motorist bodily injury and property damage as required by law (coverage limits vary by state)
Call Omega Law Group
Whether Alto’s rideshare service stays true to their promise of safety, being on the road still poses a risk of an accident. We have represented clients who have been afflicted by various personal injuries, including Spinal Cord Injury, Traumatic Brain Injury, Soft Tissue Injury, and many more. Our awards and excellent testimonials are a result of our ability to empathize and attend to the needs of our clients. Here at Omega Law Group, you will come first. If you or a loved one is afflicted with an accident, reach out to our team. Visit our Contact Us page or call us at (310) 504-1852.