On March 25, 2023, what should have been a routine Uber ride turned into an event that altered the course of my life in ways I’m still dealing with today. I had been driving full-time for Uber in Florida for years. I knew the roads, the traffic patterns, and the best routes between Pinellas County and Hillsborough County like the back of my hand.
That day started like many others. I picked up two very nice Uber passengers at the Hotel Zamora, my favorite hotel on St. Pete Beach. They were headed to a major hotel in Downtown Tampa, Florida. It was a perfect trip—long enough to make decent earnings, since rideshare drivers only get paid when the wheels are turning. Everything about this ride fit my criteria: the location, the length, and the timing.
We left Pinellas County and crossed over into Hillsborough County as I made my way toward their destination in Tampa. The trip had gone smoothly up to that point. Traffic was normal for a Saturday, the passengers were pleasant, and there were no weather concerns. I had no reason to expect anything unusual as I exited the interstate and approached the final stretch of the trip.
I was completely stopped at a Stop Sign
After getting off the interstate, I approached a stop sign near their destination. I came to a complete stop and waited for cross-traffic to clear.
One car passed by in front of me and made its turn without issue. I waited patiently for the next car to pass before it would be my turn to go. But what happened next still doesn’t make sense to me, even after replaying it in my head countless times.
The second car didn’t continue past me. Instead, the driver suddenly turned directly into my vehicle and struck me head-on.
I saw the car coming in those final moments, but there was nothing I could do to stop it. My vehicle was completely stationary. There was no evasive maneuver I could make. The impact happened so fast that even my passengers were in shock.
The driver who hit me appeared to be in her 30s. She wasn’t a teenager or someone you would expect to be reckless or inexperienced. That’s partly why it was so hard for me to understand how or why she did what she did. I had never experienced anything like that in all my years of driving.
Police Report and Insurance Problems Begin
The police were called to the scene and arrived promptly. They completed an official accident report, clearly placing the other driver at fault. That was no surprise—it was obvious to everyone there what had happened. I was completely stopped. She drove into me. It couldn’t have been clearer.
I thought that would be the end of it in terms of fault and responsibility. But that was only the beginning of my problems.
In Florida, Uber uses Progressive Insurance for their rideshare drivers. Unfortunately, when I filed a claim under my personal policy for uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage, it was denied.
The at-fault driver’s insurance turned out to be one of those bare-minimum coverage policies. The kind that is technically “legal” but essentially useless in a serious accident.
Meanwhile, I carried full coverage with Progressive for my personal auto policy as well. My own insurance covered my vehicle repairs after I paid the deductible, but here’s the kicker: that deductible was never reimbursed by the at-fault party or their insurance. I was left paying out of pocket despite not causing the accident.
The Medical Bills Nightmare
If that had been the end of it, I probably would have moved on eventually. But it wasn’t.
The so-called “driver only” coverage—turned out to be a nightmare. Because of how their contract is structured , their insurance left me stuck with emergency room bills from the accident even though I was working on their platform when it happened.
It was as if every insurance company involved was trying to point the finger at someone else, while I was left holding the bag.
I wrote a detailed letter, complete with the full explanation and even the video footage of the accident. I sent it via USPS, hoping someone at Uber would review the situation and realize how unfairly I was being treated.
I got no response. Not even an acknowledgment. Nothing.
No Accountability
The physical injuries I sustained in that crash are not minor. I will be dealing with them for the rest of my life. What makes it even worse is knowing the entire situation unfolded because of another driver’s negligence—yet I was the one left to pick up the pieces financially, physically, and emotionally.
The at-fault driver carried useless insurance. My own insurance repaired my car but left me paying And the at-fault driver never paid a dime toward my car repairs or my medical costs.
It felt like a system designed to protect everyone except the actual victim.
Lessons from a Broken System
Before this accident, I had no idea how little protection rideshare drivers really have. Promotions are not agreements. Promoted to me was that there was a $1 million policy for drivers, but what they don’t emphasize is how limited and conditional that coverage actually is for drivers.
If a passenger had been hurt, the coverage would have kicked in for them immediately. But because I was the driver, I was treated as though I didn’t matter.
It didn’t matter that I was actively working for Uber.
It didn’t matter that another driver was clearly at fault.
It didn’t matter that my life was turned upside down in seconds.
The system is set up in a way that leaves drivers like me with lifelong injuries, unpaid bills, and zero support from the very companies and insurance providers that profit from our work.
Moving Forward
This accident changed how I view rideshare driving, insurance companies, and corporations. I went from being a full-time driver who enjoyed the work to someone permanently injured, facing medical bills, and realizing how little protection drivers truly have.
I’m sharing this story because I don’t want other drivers to go through what I did. If you drive for any rideshare company, understand this: you may be one accident away from discovering just how broken the system really is.
I did everything right that day. I was stopped at a stop sign. I carried full coverage insurance. I followed all the rules. And yet, because of one negligent driver and a web of insurance loopholes, I was left holding the bill—financially and physically—for an accident I did not cause.
It’s a hard reality, but one every rideshare driver deserves to know up front.
Please subscribe, like, and share this video that is posted on the rideshare sean channel on YouTube, it is only 6 seconds long. It is a quick video recorded from my Vantrue dash camera of an rideshare accident I was in, you can hear one of the passengers say “Jesus” Comments, and shares are the best subscriptions and likes are awesome too. Please enter a comment! They help me out so much! YouTube Link https://youtube.com/shorts/aChqKx8de9E?si=o9J7iJD6faZHx7aRI can be contacted at driver at ridesharedriver dot .blog about this article
