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New nationally representative survey by Consumer Reports finds consumers feel more can be done to protect their safety when using new modes of transportation

Editor’s note: this press release was updated in February 2020 to more accurately reflect the survey results. If you have any questions about the changes, please reach out.

Survey results shared as Consumer Reports hosts panel about the future of transportation at the 2020 Washington Auto Show’s MobilityTalks International conference

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Consumer Reports, the nonprofit consumer membership organization, is publishing survey results that reveal consumers feel more can be done to protect their safety when using new modes of transportation, such as ridehailing and ridesharing services.

The survey reveals that among Americans there is overwhelming support (90%) for mandatory background checks for drivers of ridehailing services such as Uber and Lyft, as well as support for laws regarding mandatory vehicle inspections (82%) and actions ridehailing services must take in the case of a vehicle recall (73%). In addition, more than eight out of 10 Americans think there should be laws regulating where electric scooters can be used, such as on the sidewalk or in a bike lane. And nearly three-quarters think there should be laws regarding helmet usage.

A PDF of the survey results is available for download at the top of this page. 

The survey comes as Consumer Reports is set to host a panel discussion about how transportation options are changing for consumers at the 2020 Washington Auto Show’s MobilityTalks International conference on Wednesday, January 22.

The hour-long panel, titled “Clean and Safe Transportation for All?,” will begin at 2 p.m. on January 22 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center. The panel will bring together consumer advocates, automotive industry mobility managers, and clean-energy leaders, to discuss the roles consumers, businesses, and government regulators will play in the future of transportation.

“Consumers deserve transportation options that are safe, affordable, convenient and sustainable,” says David Friedman, Vice President of Advocacy for Consumer Reports, and the panel moderator. “As our transportation marketplace evolves, leaders in government and the private sector have an opportunity and responsibility to work towards a system that serves the needs of all consumers.”

The panelists include Jennifer Stockburger, Consumer Reports’ Director of Operations for its Auto Test Center in Connecticut; Jim Kliesch, Environmental Regulatory Affairs Manager of American Honda Motor Company; Ryan J. Westrom, Head of Mobility Engagement for East Coast/City Solution at Ford Mobility; Hana Creger, Environmental Equity Program Manager for The Greenlining Institute; and Adriane Jaynes, Energy Programs and Clean Cities Coordinator for the Tulsa Area Clean Cities Coalition.

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About Consumer Reports®

Consumer Reports is an independent, nonprofit membership organization that works side by side with consumers for truth, transparency, and fairness in the marketplace. For 80 years, CR has provided evidence-based product testing and ratings, rigorous research, hard-hitting investigative journalism, public education, and steadfast policy action on behalf of consumers’ interests. Unconstrained by advertising or other commercial influences, CR has exposed landmark public health and safety issues and strives to be a catalyst for pro-consumer changes in the marketplace. From championing responsible auto safety standards, to winning food and water protections, to enhancing healthcare quality, to fighting back against predatory lenders in the financial markets, Consumer Reports has always been on the front lines, raising the voices of consumers.

About MobilityTalks International®

The MobilityTalks International® conference gathers government policy makers from around the world to exchange ideas on best practices related to the future of the automotive industry. The 2020 iteration of the annual conference, organized and sponsored by The Washington Auto Show, will focus on urban mobility and smart growth, and will take place January 22 and 23, 2020 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center.

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