Safety Tips for Using Uber
Danielle Roma
This week Samantha Josephson, a college student from the University of South Carolina mistook a car for what she thought to be her Uber. Samantha entered the car but once she realized that it was in fact not her Uber, it was too late. Samantha’s father spoke upon the news of his daughter’s death and urges everyone to exercise best practices when using driving services such as Uber and Lyft. Seymour Josephson said, “What I want to do is educate everybody. I’ve gone through this and I don’t want anybody else to ever go through this again.”
To take part in the safety campaign to honor Samantha Josephson, here are a few safety tips to practice with your friends whenever using uber:
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Always Travel in Groups
Never ever allow your friends to uber alone and I cannot stress this enough. When traveling always go with a group of friends. As my mother always stresses to me, “strength in numbers”
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Confirm Uber Driver’s Name and License Plate
Before getting into an Uber, make sure that the license plate number that appears on the app matches the one of the car you think you should be getting into. In addition to this, make sure that the picture of the driver matches that of the driver in the car.
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Ask Driver, “Who are you picking up?”
A scary and common mistake that most people make before getting into an Uber is saying, “Are you here for _____?” It is important not to say you name to strangers. To avoid this common mistake ask “Who are you picking up?” rather than saying your name.
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**Let Loved Ones Follow the Ride**
Uber has a feature that not many people are familiar with but it allows you to share your location while getting in an uber. This means that loved ones will be able to track you location of your Uber and can be sure that you have arrived at your destination safely.
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Ride in the Backseat
It is important to avoid sitting in the passenger seat at all costs. I recommend sitting in the backseat to allow for maximum distance between you and the uber driver. It also ensures easy access to exit the car from both sides if necessary.
HCXO,
Danielle