A better way.

• Author: Bailey, Ronald
• Position: Ridesharing safety - Brief article

THE CONVENIENCE and reliability of summoning a ride via smartphone apps like Uber make it much easier to get around, especially in urban environments. But are we taking our lives in our hands when we hop in a rideshare car?

Not really, according to a January study from the Cato Institute.The driver vetting processes that uber and its competitor Lyft use are comparable to those of regulated taxi companies, writes policy analyst (and former reason staffer) Matthew Feeney.The level of insurance protection of riders is adequate, and real-time ratings from customers keep headquarters informed of the quality of cars and drivers.

The system is also far safer for the people doing the driving. Assault, robbery, and murder are big risks for traditional...