- When Uber began, many people were unsure how riders would be kept safe.

Now, nearly two decades later, questions still remain on how often riders are harmed and what the company is doing about it.

Here's Multimedia Journalist Jaelynn Grisso with more on rider safety.

- A woman referred to in court documents as C.P.

ordered an Uber ride home from a bar in North Seattle.

The court documents say she was noticeably intoxicated.

When they arrived at her home, at the end of her ride, she realized she couldn't find her keys and her phone was dead.

That's when the driver took her to his home instead and sexually assaulted her.

Two years later, he was found guilty of Assault with Sexual Motivation.

C.P.

sued Uber and alleged the driver had a pattern of this behavior.

That Uber should have stopped.

That's in addition to three other lawsuits that have been filed in King County within the last decade alleging sexual assault or misconduct from drivers.

Uber responded to questions regarding rider safety with this statement.

"Safety is fundamental to the Uber experience, and we are deeply committed to helping protect both riders and drivers.

Over the years, we've continued to invest in technology policies and support designed to help make every trip safer.

They say their work in these areas is never finished, and pointed to a feature called Ride Check, which is intended to ensure riders and drivers are safe in the event of an unexpected stop or long detour.

But the incident in the second King County lawsuit, where a driver allegedly took a rider to his home and sexually assaulted her, happened in 2023, five years after Ride Check introduced.

- Next time, we'll share the stories of three workers who were hurt or killed while driving.

I'm Paris Jackson.

Thank you for watching The Newsfeed.