Opinion: Three words to help avoid the tragedy of mistaking a killer’s car for your Uber
Guests arrive at Congregation Beth Chaim in West Windsor, N.J., for funeral services for University of South Carolina student Samantha Josephson last week. By Harris Pastides April 8 at 6:34 PM Harris Pastides is president of the University of South Carolina. These three words have the power to save lives and must become as automatic to every college student getting into a ride-hailing vehicle as putting on a seatbelt.
According to police here in Columbia, S.C., Samantha ordered an Uber to pick her up at 2 a.m. on March 29 in the Five Points district, a nightlife area near campus, and mistakenly got into a black Chevrolet Impala, thinking it was her ride. A heartbreaking surveillance video released by law enforcement officials shows the vehicle pulling up beside her as people walk past; Samantha opens the door, slips into the back seat and closes the door.
What happened to Samantha was not the first time that someone has mistaken a vehicle for a ride-hailing pickup and then been attacked by a driver who seemed to be prowling for victims. The New York Times on April 4 reported on “a rash of kidnappings, sexual assaults and robberies carried out largely against young women by assailants posing as ride-share drivers.” Publicly reported cases indicate that there have been “at least two dozen such attacks in the past few years,” the paper said.
In recent days, I’ve heard from many students, public-safety officials and parents, including Samantha’s own family, about the importance of ride-hailing safety. We have discussed many ways to improve the transportation options for students, including traveling in groups on nights out.
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