What to do if my rideshare driver is involved in an accident?

What to do if your rideshare driver is involved in a crash

With the holiday season here, many people might be taking a rideshare to get around safely while celebrating. But what happens if your rideshare driver is involved in a crash?

HOUSTON - Over the past few years, FOX 26 has reported on multiple rideshare service drivers around the country being involved in some type of vehicle accident, including here in Houston.

With the holidays in full swing, FOX 26 spoke with a personal injury lawyer to learn more about what can be done if your driver is involved in a crash.

2 injured after Uber crashes in Houston: HPD

A toddler is in critical condition after the Uber she was riding in with her family crashed in north Houston, police say. A man was also taken to the hospital.

What should you do?

What they're saying:

Juan Garcia, a personal injury attorney with Johnson Garcia Law says that before taking off in the rideshare vehicle, buckling in is important.

"Even before the scene, one of the biggest recommendations that I have is you need to put on your seatbelt when you get in an Uber or Lyft car, just like anything else," Garcia said. "Because what happens is, if you are in an accident and you don't have your seatbelt, the Uber or Lyft insurance company, or the insurance company from the other driver that may have caused the accident, they're going to blame you for your injuries because you weren't wearing your seatbelt."

Other important pieces of advice include:

• Seek medical attention immediately if you are injured during the accident.If you are not injured, take photos and videos of the crash to ensure you have proper evidence of the incident.
• If you are not injured, take photos and videos of the crash to ensure you have proper evidence of the incident.
• Get the insurance information of all parties involved, including your rideshare driver and others.
• Call the police to make an accident report. This causes police to open an investigation into the crash.

"My recommendation is don't distract the driver in any way," Garcia said. "Let them concentrate on where they're going, what they're doing. And frankly, if you do see the driver distracted by them getting on their phone or on the radio or something like that, it's okay for you as a passenger to please ask them to pay attention to the road."