- A study recently published in the journal Science found that minority Lyft drivers are roughly 30% more likely to receive traffic citations than their white counterparts and that those citations are about 34% more expensive, on average. This, despite there being no “discernible” difference between white and minority drivers.
- The study examined millions of data points provided by Lyft, for 200,000 drivers in Florida between 2017 and 2020.
- This study builds upon another published in 2024, which found that of 46 million trips in the Chicago metropolitan area, Black drivers disproportionately received citations from both speed cameras and police traffic stops.
Full Story
Racial and ethnic minority drivers for Lyft are roughly 30% more likely to be cited for speeding and pay fines up to 34% higher than their white counterparts, despite exhibiting no difference in driving behaviors. That’s according to a new study analyzing millions of data points for more than 200,000 Lyft drivers in Florida between 2017 and 2020.
A group of scientists from several institutions, led by Pradhi Aggarwal at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, published their paper in the journal Science on Thursday, March 27. In it, the team analyzed millions of data points provided by Lyft, including locations, driving speeds, and location speed limits. They profiled 200,000 drivers using photographs provided by the ride-share company and voter registration information.
Study’s results ‘unequivocally reveal bias’
When they looked at the rates of drivers being pulled over –– while considering several variables including vehicle color, make, model and geography –– the team determined that minority drivers were roughly 30% more likely to get ticketed and that those tickets came with fines that are upwards of 34% higher than white drivers.
Ekeoma Uzogara, the study’s editor, writes “White and minority drivers showed no discernible differences in speeding behaviors or traffic violations. However, when both drove at identical speeds, police were still 33% more likely to issue speeding citations to minority drivers and charged 34% more expensive fines, unequivocally revealing bias.”
Similarly, in their abstract, the scientists note “We find no evidence that accident and reoffense rates explain these estimates, which suggests that an animus against minorities underlies our results.”
2024 study supports findings
This study builds upon another published in 2024 in the journal PNAS, which found that of 46 million trips in the Chicago metropolitan area, Black drivers disproportionately received citations from both speed cameras and police traffic stops.
Both studies also support claims made by minority communities that they are regularly subjected to racial profiling.
A page about racial profiling and traffic stops from the U.S. government’s National Institute of Justice has been removed “in accordance with recent Executive Orders and related guidance.”
