Uber’s In-App Navigation Directions Causing Illegal Driving and Serious Injuries: Are Victims Left Paying the Price?

Lawsuit Highlights How Uber’s GPS Prompts Dangerous Maneuvers, While the Company Disclaims Responsibility for the Harm That Follows

The streets of New York City are no stranger to congestion, pressure, and rapid decisions behind the wheel. But when a company’s internal navigation system directs a driver to make an illegal move, leading to serious injury, who should be held accountable?

That question lies at the heart of a developing legal case involving rideshare giant Uber. A Staten Island man suffered devastating injuries after an Uber driver followed the app’s direction to make an illegal U-turn, resulting in a crash that fractured the victim’s spine and required multiple surgeries. The case has drawn national attention for what it reveals about the inner workings of rideshare technology and the legal gamesmanship used to deny victims the right to hold billion-dollar platforms accountable.

This incident is not isolated. It reflects a larger public safety issue with how rideshare drivers are pressured by company algorithms, passenger expectations, and fear of deactivation. When navigation systems inside the app override posted road signs, the outcome can be catastrophic.

The Staten Island Crash That Raised National Red Flags

In 2023, Uber driver Kinley Ragbey was completing what should have been a routine ride pickup near the Staten Island Ferry terminal. His app instructed him to “make a U-turn to stay on Richmond Terrace.” But a city-installed traffic sign clearly prohibited U-turns at that location. Ragbey chose to follow the app rather than the sign, and, in doing so, struck a man riding an electric scooter in the opposite direction.

The accident victim was thrown into a parked vehicle, suffering multiple fractured vertebrae and other serious injuries that required surgery and long-term rehabilitation. He is now suing both the driver and Uber for damages.

This case raises concerns about whether Uber’s app directions prompt unsafe or illegal maneuvers in real time and whether drivers feel forced to follow them out of fear of losing access to the platform.

The Legal Battle: Contractor or Company Liability?

Uber’s legal strategy is clear: claim no responsibility for the crash. According to the company, Ragbey was not their employee. He was simply a private contractor who made his own decision to disregard the posted sign. Uber claims it only provides a “suggested route” and that drivers are responsible for obeying all traffic laws.

This defense is designed to shield the company from liability. Despite Uber profiting directly from each ride and exerting control over how drivers perform their work, including app-based ratings, punishments, and GPS routing, the company insists it is merely a technology provider, not a transportation company.

Courts have often allowed this classification to stand, leaving victims of rideshare-related injuries with limited legal options.

How Uber’s Navigation Pressures Drivers Into Unsafe Choices

Passengers evaluate Uber drivers in real time. When a customer watches their driver deviate from the app’s path, they may cancel the ride, report the driver, or lower their rating. Enough low ratings or complaints can lead to deactivation, cutting the driver off from their income entirely.

In court testimony, Ragbey made it clear: he followed Uber’s U-turn instruction because the app directed him there, and he feared a customer complaint if he deviated. This type of psychological pressure is widespread in the rideshare industry.

Even though drivers are technically allowed to use third-party navigation like Google Maps or Waze within the Uber app, most still rely on Uber’s internal routing system. The app’s route is what customers see and expect the driver to follow. That disconnect between legal responsibility and practical consequence creates a dangerous incentive for drivers to follow unsafe routes.

Navigation Errors and the Risks to Public Safety

This case highlights a specific and urgent public safety issue. When a GPS system encourages behavior that violates traffic law, the consequences go beyond individual injury. Uber’s app instructed a maneuver that had been prohibited for years, according to city records. Why the app failed to detect or respect that restriction remains unanswered.

Even more concerning is Uber’s refusal to share its navigation algorithm or explain how it missed the “No U-turn” zone. Company representatives have cited trade secret protection as a reason to withhold the data, despite legal demands. This lack of transparency puts pedestrians, cyclists, and other road users at risk, with no way to hold the company accountable.

Without external oversight or quality control, the algorithm can misguide drivers, sometimes fatally.

Forced Arbitration and Uber’s Legal Shield

Uber includes mandatory arbitration clauses in its driver contracts. This means that drivers cannot bring employment-related lawsuits in open court. They also cannot participate in class action lawsuits against the company. This forces disputes into private legal processes that often favor the company.

In this case, however, it’s the injured third party, a male cyclist, who is suing. This allows the case to proceed in public court. But the lawsuit still faces legal hurdles, as Uber continues to argue it bears no responsibility for its drivers’ choices, even when guided by its own system. Prior lawsuits have shown similar patterns. When a six-year-old girl was struck and killed in San Francisco by an Uber driver looking at the app, Uber successfully avoided liability by arguing the driver was using the GPS voluntarily. Despite the devastating outcome, Uber’s position was upheld in court, and the case ended in a confidential settlement.

The Fight for Legal Accountability and Reform

New York lawmakers have taken notice of the risks. A proposed bill (Intro 276) would give Uber and Lyft drivers “just cause” protection from sudden deactivation. Advocates argue that by stabilizing driver employment, these measures would allow drivers to make safer decisions without fearing punishment for deviating from app instructions.

Drivers across the city have testified that pressure from the app and passengers causes them to make dangerous choices just to keep their jobs. The fear of deactivation drives them to follow the app, even when traffic signs, common sense, or safety say otherwise.

Organizations like the New York Taxi Workers Alliance are demanding more transparency from rideshare companies and an end to the illusion that app-based workers are completely independent.

Who Can File a Lawsuit After an Uber Navigation Crash?

Victims injured due to a rideshare driver’s illegal maneuver that followed app directions may have grounds to file a personal injury claim against both the driver and the rideshare company.

These cases depend on several factors, including:

• Whether the app directly contributed to the illegal maneuver.
• Whether the driver was performing work for Uber at the time.
• Whether Uber retained control over the routing or exerted undue pressure.

Pedestrians, bicyclists, other drivers, and passengers all may be eligible for legal recovery if injured in these situations. Evidence of the app’s navigation command, witness testimony, crash data, and medical records are key to building a strong claim.

Uber Navigation Crash Lawsuit FAQs

Can I sue Uber if I was hit by a driver following unsafe GPS directions?

Yes, under certain circumstances. If an Uber driver was using the app and followed dangerous or illegal instructions that caused your injury, you may be able to sue both the driver and Uber. However, Uber often argues it is not responsible because the drivers are classified as independent contractors.

Is the Uber app responsible for telling drivers to break the law?

Uber denies responsibility for how its navigation works, claiming drivers must follow road signs. However, if there is evidence the app consistently gives illegal or dangerous directions, this could help strengthen a claim that Uber’s system contributed to the crash.

What happens if the Uber driver is deactivated?

Deactivation does not prevent you from filing a personal injury lawsuit. The driver’s insurance, Uber’s liability coverage, and other parties may still be responsible depending on the facts of the case.

How much compensation can I receive?

Compensation may include medical bills, lost income, future care costs, pain and suffering, and other damages. Each case is different, and the value depends on the severity of your injuries and how the crash occurred.

What evidence do I need to sue Uber for a crash?

You need proof the crash occurred during the driver’s active trip or route to pick up a passenger. App screenshots, trip records, GPS data, witness statements, and medical documentation all help support your claim.

Contact Parker Waichman LLP For A Free Case Review

If you or a loved one was injured in a crash caused by an Uber driver following dangerous or illegal GPS directions, you may be entitled to financial compensation. These cases require legal action against powerful companies that often deny responsibility, but you don’t have to fight alone.

Parker Waichman LLP is a national rideshare accident law firm representing victims harmed by rideshare negligence and unsafe navigation systems. Regardless of your location or where your injury occurred, our nationwide product injury law firm is ready to assist you. Our attorneys are ready to investigate your claim, gather evidence, and fight for the justice you deserve.

Call 1-800-YOUR-LAWYER (1-800-968-7529) today for a free consultation.