Uber driver acquitted in fatal accident with Amsterdam cyclist

A 23-year-old Uber driver was acquitted on appeal for a traffic accident in which a 22-year-old cyclist was killed in Amsterdam-Oost. The Uber driver hit the young woman with his car on 31 March 2017, after overtaking a stationary city bus, RTL Nieuws reports.

The court of appeal acquitted the driver of death through negligence. He was also acquitted when this case was first tried. The Public Prosecutor did not want the driver convicted on this charge, but wanted to fine the man 1 thousand euros and suspend his driver's license for three months. According to the Public Prosecutor, the driver did not adjust his speed sufficiently to the traffic situation.

According to the Court of Appeal, the driver was not speeding and had too little time to respond when the young woman crossed the street from a side street on her bicycle. The court spoke of a "very sad turn of events with a terrible outcome", but one for which the Uber driver cannot be blamed.

Earlier this year the victim's sister spoke about the impact of her sister's death to RTL Late Night. "There was still a glimmer of hope that she would live. And there was a lot of incomprehension. How could this happen in broad daylight?" She called for measures to be taken against Uber. "All those fatal accidents are no coincidence anymore. This is a clear trend."

Earlier this year the municipality of Amsterdam announced a package of measures taken with Uber to improve traffic safety, after three accidents involving Uber drivers left four people dead in the city in January and December. Shortly after the accidents, Uber announced that it is increasing the minimum age for its drivers from 18 to 21 years and that all its drivers will have to complete a mandatory road safety course.