> Uber drivers broadly are considered independent contractors

I don't think that should really matter when you're engaging in activities that are "on duty"

The driver was acting as a representative of Uber. They were on a job for Uber.

There's a huge legal distinction there, and it affects taxes, liability, etc. It's distinct from the lay understanding of "working for Uber".

If someone is doing a Doordash delivery, runs a red light and hits someone, is it Doordash's fault? If Doordash has a policy encouraging running red lights, sure; but if it's just because they as an individual made a bad decision, Doordash shouldn't be liable.

The legal system should assign blame to the guilty, not encourage hunting for a tenuous connection to whoever has the deepest pockets.