Following the implementation of abortion restrictions in Texas which make Uber and Lyft drivers legally vulnerable for driving patients to abortion clinics, the transportation companies have announced that they will pay all legal fees for drivers implicated under the new law.
Lyft announced the creation of their Driver Legal Defense Fund for all drivers sued under the law while working for the company as well as a one million dollar donation to Planned Parenthood to ensure that “transportation is never a barrier to healthcare access.”
Following Lyft’s announcement, Uber matched the policy with a similar commitment. In addition to bolstering legal protections for drivers, Lyft notes that divers are never responsible for monitoring where passengers are going and that passengers are under no obligation to disclose the purpose or destination of their ride.
Although the law stipulates that abortions can still be performed before six weeks of pregnancy, the threat of legal action will likely dissuade drivers from offering transportation services to clinics at all. These new corporate protections ensure that women seeking healthcare are not discriminated against.
