Even with the widespread use of rideshares in New York City, not all Bronx residents who need a ride are sold on using a rideshare driver, with some preferring to call a taxi to get them to where they want to go on the grounds that taxis are safer. But according to an article on TripSavvy, taxis and rideshares tend to share the same problems, with studies not producing conclusive evidence that taxis are safer than rideshares or vice versa.
A primary concern for rideshare users is the quality of the rideshare driver. Taxis and rideshare services do screen their drivers, though not in the same manner. Both taxi and rideshare companies screen new drivers for recent felony convictions, but taxi screening usually involves fingerprinting new drivers while rideshare screening typically does not. Still, a Cato Institute study found rideshare drivers were not shown to be more dangerous than taxi drivers in many heavily populated American cities.
It is also difficult to tell whether taxis or rideshares produce fewer criminal incidents and auto accidents. Present methods of tracking crimes cannot draw a clear distinction between the number of crimes committed by taxi drivers and those perpetrated by rideshare drivers, nor can they tell which service is more likely to produce vehicular crashes. Part of the problem is that some metropolitan police organizations do not record incidents involving vehicles that are hired for rides, which includes both taxis and rideshares.
Ultimately, whether you use a taxi or rideshare is up to you. Sometimes you just have to follow your own gut instinct that tells you whether taking a taxi or rideshare is the best choice for you. Rideshare accidents can happen in many different ways, so do not read this article as legal counsel for your situation. It is only intended for educational benefit.