How to Report a Rideshare Assault in Los Angeles

TL;DR

If you’re figuring out how to report a rideshare assault in Los Angeles, you have three separate options: LAPD, the rideshare app itself, and California’s state regulator. Each one does something different. You don’t have to use all three, and you don’t have to decide if you want to take legal action right now.

First, get to a safe place. That’s the most important thing. Don’t worry about apps or phone calls until you’re somewhere you feel safe.

Reporting a rideshare assault in Los Angeles isn’t just about dialing one number. There are three systems you can use, each set up for different reasons. The police look into possible crimes. Uber or Lyft looks at what their driver did. California’s Public Utilities Commission keeps an eye on the rideshare companies themselves. These groups are completely separate, and you can go to whichever one makes sense for you.

You don’t need to use all three. You don’t even need to decide today. Let’s walk through what each group actually does, so you understand your options better.

If you’re still in the car, tell the driver you want to get out. Choose a busy and bright location to stop. You can stop at a gas station. A crowded sidewalk works too. Step out and put distance between you and the car. Trust your gut.

If you feel like you’re in danger, immediately call 911. Don’t worry about reports or paperwork. Your safety should be your priority. Once you’re somewhere safe, everything else can wait. Take a minute to breathe.

If something is urgent, call 911 right away. That’s what emergency lines are for. If you want to report what happened after the fact, you can call the LAPD’s non-emergency number at 877-ASK-LAPD (877-275-5273). Someone will answer, day or night, in both English and Spanish. You can also go straight to any police station in the city and talk to someone in person.

If you’re reporting a sexual assault, you can’t use LAPD’s online form. That form is only for cases where you don’t know who the person is. In your case, the driver is someone the police can identify, so you’ll need to call or go in person. Here’s something important: California law says survivors of sexual assault get a free copy of their own police report. If anyone tries to charge you for it, you can ask again. The law is on your side.

Uber lets you file a safety report right inside its app. You’ll usually find this under your trip history, or in the help section. When you send in a report, Uber starts its own review. While they look into it, they can suspend the driver from giving rides.

Keep in mind, this isn’t the same as a police report. Reporting the assault in the app only affects the driver’s status on Uber. It won’t get the police involved. If you want, you can use both the app and file a police report. They don’t cancel each other out.

Lyft’s process is pretty similar. You can file a complaint right in the app or by calling Lyft’s support line. When you send in your report, Lyft says they’ll look into it. If your complaint checks out, they can block the driver from the platform for good.

Just like with Uber, this complaint only stays with Lyft. It won’t end up in any police record, and it doesn’t count as a legal report on its own.

The California Public Utilities Commission, or CPUC, regulates every rideshare company in the state. They also run a zero-tolerance policy for sexual misconduct.

If you file one of these zero-tolerance complaints, the CPUC tells the company to suspend the driver right away, while they look into what happened. You can get in touch with them at 1-800-894-9444 or by emailing CIU_intake@cpuc.ca.gov.

This kind of complaint is its own thing. It doesn’t connect to the police or the rideshare app. It’s a totally separate path.

If you’re not sure about reporting, you’re definitely not alone. Researchers Rachael Goodman-Williams, Jessica Volz, and Kathryn Fishwick talked with survivors who went to the hospital for an exam but didn’t file a police report. They found something surprising. Most people weren’t just scared of the process. Many made a clear decision that reporting wouldn’t help, and some even worried it might make things worse.

National numbers tell the same story. The Justice Department says only 24 percent of rape and sexual assault cases were reported to the police in 2024. That’s down from 46 percent the year before.

Reporting is a choice, not a must. No number can change what happened to you.

No, you don’t. A police report can help if you want to build a case later, but you don’t need one to know your rights. Civil claims and criminal cases work on different tracks.

There’s one deadline you should know about, no matter what you decide. Thanks to California law (Assembly Bill 2777), if your assault happened on or after January 1, 2009, you have until December 31, 2026, to file a civil claim. After that, the window closes for good.

If you ever want to talk about your legal rights, don’t hesitate to consult with us at Blair and Ramirez LLP. Our team helps survivors in both English and Spanish, whenever you’re ready.

You don’t have to have every answer right now. You can take one step today and wait to decide on the rest. No one’s rushing you.

Curious about your legal options? You can get a free case review whenever you’re ready.

Get a free case review.

• If it’s an emergency, call 911 right away. If you want to tell police after the incident, you can call 877-ASK-LAPD.
• Uber and Lyft let you report inside their apps, but those reports only affect the driver’s ability to pick up rides. They don’t become part of any police record.
• California’s Public Utilities Commission has its own zero tolerance line. You can reach them at 1-800-894-9444.
• Most survivors across the country choose not to report to police. That’s a personal choice, and it doesn’t take away any of your legal options.