Uber Begins Background Checks for Drivers in India after Rape

Uber announced that anyone who wishes to drive for the company in India will have to undergo background checks.

The New York Times reports the new policy is the result of public and political pressure after an Uber driver raped a client several weeks ago. For example, an online petition demanding Uber begin background checks for its drivers has 60,000 signatures. Uber has already been banned from operating in certain parts of India after the incident.

Previously, the only thing a person needed to become an Uber driver in India was a driver's license, proof of insurance, a permit to drive a taxi. In addition to the background check, prospective drivers will have to be approved of by local police forces. Uber will also evaluate licenses, insurance papers, and taxi permits for evidence of fraud or counterfeiting.

The background checks were instituted after it was learned the Uber driver in the rape case had previously spent time in prison on rape charges three years ago. Indian authorities have charged the driver with rape, kidnapping, and intimidation. Prosecutors are still deciding whether or not they will bring charges against Uber itself for saying its service was safer than it actually is.

Uber has also faced criticisms in the United States for how it conducts background checks. Politicians throughout the country have said that taxi and limousine drivers are subject to stricter evaluations than Uber drivers, and the discrepancy is a threat to public safety.

Uber is unlikely to see pressure from the Indian authorities ease anytime soon. Rape has become a serious issue in the country since a series of brutal rapes and deaths capture headlines around the world in the last two years. The issue has become so important that the death penalty has been instituted as a penalty for the crime.