I think we all agree that getting a traffic ticket is frustrating. Yet most of us have had one at some point in our lives. We are running late, we go a little fast and just like that, we get a speeding ticket. It’s so annoying because we knew better and should have done better. We are cruising along and lost in thought and cruise right through the Stop sign. We realize it just as we hear the siren and see the lights. We are thankful we did not get plowed into by another driver but still annoyed at the ticket. Nobody likes to get a traffic ticket.
You Agreed to That Additional Background Check
However, getting a traffic ticket as an Uber or Lyft driver can be much more than simply annoying. When you drive for a ride share company like Uber or Lyft, you are subject to an initial background check. You also consented to ongoing checks when you began driving for them. This makes sense because these companies have the responsibility to protect their riders. That’s a big responsibility.
So, you had a background check when you went to work for them and you may think that covers you going forward. However, there are many things that can kick off another one. A customer can leave a bad review (customers sometimes leave false bad reviews in the hopes of getting a refund on their ride. The worse the review, the more likely the chance of a background check). The company can decide to do a random screening. The company may decide to update their records or change insurance companies. There are any number of reasons they many do a second, third or ongoing background check.
Fight The Ticket
Let’s say you got a ticket that amounts to a $100 fine. Why wouldn’t you pay that and move on with your life? Well, because paying that ticket is pleading guilty and that ticket will then show up on your record. On that next background check, it will show up. That ticket will affect your points on your license which in turn affects your insurance rates. Oh, and that job you love, working for Lyft or Uber, may go away. Uber and Lyft appear to have a policy that states you cannot drive for the company if you have had more than three moving violations in the three years prior to the background check. However, you do not have to search far online to find people who state that they lost their ability to drive for one or more of these companies for only one violation. In addition, being removed from one of the companies could bar you from working at the other. This may be due to insurance company requirements.
Now, you may think that the cost of hiring a lawyer outweighs paying your ticket. Before you make that decision, contact our office. We have a form where you can upload your Georgia citation. We will review it at no cost to you. As we always tell our clients, checking out your options cost you nothing. Doing nothing may cost you everything.
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