Uber has a three-strike rule. If you get three traffic tickets or a combination of at-fault accidents and tickets within three years, you will get terminated. There is no appeals method. You must wait until the violations, convictions, or accident reports are gone from your motor vehicle driving record (MVR) and reapply.
In CA, an at-fault accident means the investigator found that you were more than zero percent responsible for the accident. Typically, when a driver runs a red light and slams into another car, they are 100 percent liable for that accident. In other instances, the blame could be shared. However, that shared blame can get challenged with the help of a traffic attorney who can initiate an independent investigation to dispute the investigator's findings. That could save you a strike, and it might not be as expensive as the increased auto insurance and possible dismissal as an Uber driver.
Uber is much stricter about traffic tickets than Lyft or Doordash, a food delivery service; but all rideshare companies have traffic ticket limits. When you already have a traffic ticket or at-fault accident when you go to work for Uber, you must be careful and challenge every ticket. What’s more, hiring a traffic attorney to resolve the ticket means not having to take time off to go to court.
Traffic Tickets, Uber, & TVS
That means if you get in an at-fault accident and receive a traffic ticket, whether on duty or off, it could be two strikes for the same incident. What’s more, this is over a three-year period, and you must consider your exposure to traffic tickets and accidents are higher as an Uber driver. You must challenge every ticket instead of thinking, “well I can afford to pay the fine for this ticket,” unless you are eligible for Traffic Violators School (TVS). If you plead guilty and pay the fine for one ticket, within a month, or so, you could get another or possibly two at the same time.
When you accept TVS, you are pleading guilty, and the ticket will be confidential. That means neither your auto insurance agency, nor your employer will see the ticket. It is advisable to discuss your specific situation with a traffic attorney before paying the fine or challenging the ticket.
A Traffic Ticket Challenge Vs Uber Driver Fire
Many might think it is cheaper just to pay the fine. However, that is rarely true. The increase in auto insurance alone will amount to $500 per year for even a minor infraction when you are not eligible for TVS. Plus, if you get terminated from Uber, how much will you lose in earnings after just one year? Now, multiply that times three, the number of years you will need to wait for that minor infraction to come off your MVR.
Do you see how it might make more sense to hire an attorney? Especially considering, when you pay the fine, the only outcome is guilty, but a lawyer could get a dismissal or reduced charge.
Los Angeles County Traffic Ticket Attorneys
Bigger & Harman, APC handles traffic tickets for Uber and other rideshare drivers and regular divers in Los Angeles County courts in Glendale, Chatsworth, West Covina, Englewood, Long Beach, and others. We can also handle tickets in SLO and other SoCal locations. Give us a call, (661) 349-9300.
Se habla Español (661) 349-9755.
Send us an email, attorney@biggerharmanlaw.com.
References:
The DMV Portal
Uber Indeed FAQ