By Jonathan Stempel
(Reuters) - Lyft will implement several safety and governance reforms to settle a shareholder lawsuit accusing the ride-sharing company's officers and directors of not doing enough to stop drivers from sexually and physically assaulting passengers.
A preliminary settlement was filed on Tuesday night in the Oakland, California, federal court, and requires a judge's approval.
Lyft agreed to boost passenger awareness of the "Alert 911 Silently" feature on its app for reporting misconduct, and make it easier to report problems 24/7 to a live human. It also said it has also improved training and its code of business conduct and ethics.
The changes would last at least three years. Officers and directors would pay no money to the company, and their insurers would pay $700,000 to cover the plaintiffs' legal fees.