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CHICAGO (AP) – Every time Rachel Orden calls an Uber, the second student of Michigan State University, 20, immediately heads to the back of the vehicle to check the license plate number Then open the door and wait for the driver to say it name before entering.
Even then, she designs a backup plan in case she feels uncomfortable.
"How can I get out? Can I unlock the door? Who is the abbreviated number? Can I get out safely if necessary? All this goes through my head ,? said Orden of Naples. Florida, which uses portering service about once a week, usually during night time outings. She stated that the murder of Samantha Josephson, a student at the University of South Carolina, on March 29, who mistakenly got into a vehicle that she thought was her ride with Uber, made it even more cautious.
It has also encouraged law enforcement agencies and companies of this type to redouble their efforts to warn passengers not to board without checking that the vehicle and the driver are legitimate.
Although there is no official account, there have been several high-profile cases involving potential thieves and assailants posing as taxi drivers – often in bars. The South Carolina police did not specify if that was what the driver had done in Josephson's case.
"You have predatory individuals wandering in search of potential victims," said Anthony Guglielmi, spokesman for the Chicago Police Department, adding that fraudulent drivers are attracted to bars because they may be drunk and do not pay attention.
Several cases of cooling require rapid action
A man from the Chicago area was accused of raping four women that he had taken to bars after being an Uber driver in 2017. He took a fifth woman in a taxi, announced the authorities. Musaab Afundi has pleaded not guilty to sexual assault and his case is ongoing, CBS2 reported Chicago.
In South Carolina, Josephson, 21, ordered an Uber around 1:30 am after apparently being separated from his friends after a party at the Columbia Bar.
According to the authorities, she mistakenly climbed into a car driven by 24-year-old Nathaniel David Rowland, who allegedly used the child safety locks of his car to jail Josephson before killing her and throwing her 65 km away. Columbia. Her funeral took place on Saturday in New Jersey, where she grew up.
Rowland is accused of kidnapping and murder.
Read more: A man was arrested following the death of a student from the University of South Carolina who got into a car that she thought was an Uber
On Wednesday, a 34-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of raping a woman who had taken a seat in her car after leaving a Seattle bar. The King County Sheriff's Office stated that this man had led him to believe that he was his driver. before parking the car and violating it. A judge found a probable cause for holding the man in the investigation of third-degree rape.
And a man from Stamford, Connecticut, was charged last month with raping and abducting two women he'd taken to bars in December, Greenwich Times reported.
"There is no more dangerous place than in a locked car traveling with a stranger," said Bryant Greening, a Chicago-based lawyer specializing in representing drivers and passengers. "You have to be aware of your environment and think about your reaction if the situation gets worse … you have to listen to your instinct."
Women are not the only ones at risk of false taxi drivers, he said. Men were also stolen after boarding the wrong car.
"There is no discrimination by predators," he said.
How Uber and Lyft react
Greening urged Uber and Lyft to do more to educate customers and offer technology solutions. In addition, following the death of Josephson, a bill was introduced in the Legislative Assembly of South Carolina to require that Uber and Lyft drivers be equipped with illuminated signs.
Uber said in a written statement that he would launch a social media campaign in the coming weeks, buy ads in college newspapers and start sending push notifications during the withdrawal to remind passengers of security measures. to take. He also stated that he has been working since 2017 with law enforcement and colleges to "educate the public on how to avoid false drivers", including checking the driver's photo and the description of the vehicle compared to what had been sent when a trip was requested.
Read more: How to stay safe by taking an Uber or Lyft
Lyft said that he also provided driver photos and information about the vehicle. Some Lyft vehicles feature a dashboard that changes color to match the application of passengers to help them identify their journey. "We (…) are constantly exploring new and innovative ways to improve the experience of all users and, more importantly, maintain the security of our community," the company said.
Orden, the student at Michigan State University, said the recent assaults have made her more nervous, even though she is already cautious.
"But I feel like a good thing," she said. "Now I will take even more precautions."
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