How to Report Sexual Assault From a Lyft Driver

You don’t have to suffer through the physical and emotional consequences of a Lyft sexual assault alone. 

One of the first steps you should consider taking if you experience sexual violence or sexual harassment involving a rideshare driver is to tell someone. Reporting the incident can help you get the medical treatment and mental health support you need. It can also help validate your claim if you decide to take legal action.

You should report the assault to Lyft immediately. You should also report it to law enforcement. We understand that it can be difficult to speak about sexual abuse, and some survivors may not want to go to the police right away. If you’re not ready to report to an officer, even telling a family member, friend or therapist could help process the event and may help with an eventual sexual assault claim. 

Seek medical attention

A sexual assault can have health consequences that go beyond the physical injuries sustained during the incident. Survivors may be at risk for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and unintended pregnancy. They may also need mental healthcare to process and cope with trauma. For these reasons, it’s vital that you seek medical treatment immediately after a sexual assault. 

If you’re in an emergency situation, call 911. Otherwise, seek care from your local emergency department or contact the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) to find trauma-informed healthcare near you. You can reach RAINN 24/7 by calling 1.800.656.4673 (HOPE), texting HOPE to 64674 or through online chat at hotline.RAINN.org.

Many healthcare facilities have or can connect you with a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) in your area. SANEs are registered nurses trained to provide trauma-informed, age-appropriate and culturally sensitive medical treatment to sexual assault survivors. SANEs are sometimes also called forensic nurse examiners. 

A SANE can treat your injuries, help you make healthcare decisions and perform a sexual assault forensic exam (SAFE). This exam involves collecting DNA and other physical evidence from your body and belongings for a rape kit. 

SAFEs are important medical evidence in sexual assault cases. The professionals who treat you can also provide you with more information about how to report sexual assault from a Lyft driver to the authorities.  

Report the incident to Lyft directly

You can, and should, report your rideshare sexual assault directly to Lyft. 

Lyft encourages prompt reporting of sexual assault, harassment or misconduct through its app platform. You can also report by phone by requesting a call from the company’s Safety team, which operates 24/7 and will contact you as soon as possible. Lyft’s website states that it “will conduct an impartial and timely investigation to reach reasonable conclusions based on the information collected.” 

To report a dangerous Lyft driver immediately, call 911. 

According to Lyft’s Safety Transparency Report, from 2020 to 2022, the rideshare company was informed through safety reports, law enforcement, the media or social media of 2,651 incidents involving its top five most serious categories of sexual assault. These categories include non-consensual kissing or touching of a sexual body part, non-consensual kissing of a non-sexual body part, rape and attempted rape. 

Report the assault to local law enforcement

You should also report sexual assault to law enforcement, especially if you still feel unsafe after the incident occurred. 

To report sexual assault from a Lyft driver, call 911 or go to your local police station or sheriff’s department. You don’t have to decide right away whether you want to press criminal charges or launch an investigation. 

You usually have reporting options, which include:

• Anonymous report: Allows you to report your assault without giving the police any identifying information. You still have access to medical treatment, evidence collection and support services. The police will keep the rape kit collected during your SAFE for 20 years, so you can choose to have your case investigated later if you wish.
• Full report: Gives you the option of working with an investigator to have your sexual assault incident prosecuted. You will give the officer a complete statement that includes your identity. You can ask to pause or stop a full investigation at any time. 
• Partial report: You report the incident and provide your name and contact information to the police, but don’t give a complete statement or begin working with an investigator. As with an anonymous report, forensic evidence is kept on file if you decide to move forward with a full investigation in the future. 

Law enforcement actions and government charges against an accused person are part of a criminal case. Criminal proceedings seek to punish those convicted of crimes with fines, probation and jail time. 

Survivors of a Lyft sexual assault may also be eligible for a civil lawsuit. Civil cases are brought by those harmed (plaintiffs) and seek financial compensation for mental and emotional suffering, physical pain, medical expenses, lost income and other damages. 

Seek legal support

Survivors who would like to take legal action should seek Lyft driver sexual assault help from a sexual abuse attorney. An attorney can help you understand the legal process and guide you through the next steps for filing a lawsuit.

An attorney with experience handling sexual abuse claims can help survivors file civil lawsuits against the responsible parties. In sexual assault lawsuits against Lyft, a sexual abuse lawyer may help survivors file their claims in federal court.

On February 2, 2026, the United States Panel on Multidistrict Litigation created In re: Lyft, Inc. Passenger Sexual Assault Litigation, MDL No. 3171 in the Northern District of California. Plaintiffs in the lawsuit claim that Lyft knew about sexual assault risks and failed to:

• Adequately supervise and train drivers
• Adopt standard safety practices, such as requiring video or audio surveillance
• Conduct background checks and screen drivers
• Implement safety design changes to its rideshare app
• Respond to complaints and feedback about sexual misconduct from drivers

Motley Rice lawyers have a lead role in the MDL, which has 72 pending actions as of August 2026. 

Civil legal action is typically bound by the applicable statute of limitations for either the state where your assault occurred or the resident state of the plaintiff. Survivors interested in pursuing justice through a lawsuit should connect with a sexual abuse lawyer within two years of the date they were harmed.

Motley Rice helps survivors of sexual assault seek accountability and justice. We have experience holding individual perpetrators, institutions and companies responsible for committing abuse or allowing abuse to occur.

Motley Rice attorneys are trauma-informed and trauma-trained to handle sexual abuse lawsuits through every stage of the case. We help survivors seek justice by investigating, building and aggressively litigating claims against organizations like Lyft.  

Read more on our sexual abuse litigation experience.