The Tragedy That Sparked A Movement

In the early morning hours of Friday, March 29, Samantha Josephson said goodbye to friends outside the Bird Dog bar. None of them ever thought they would never see each other again. Josephson entered a car she thought was her Uber ride. She was found 65 miles away, dead from multiple sharp force wounds. She was buried today at noon.



This tragedy is sparking a new movement among her peers and the faculty of the University of South Carolina. The University’s President has this to say: “We want every college student in America to take a pledge that says they will never get into a rideshare without first asking the driver, ‘What’s my name,’ to make sure that they are getting in the right vehicle.”



What’s My Name?

The movement seeks to encourage students to employ specific safety measures when taking a rideshare car anywhere. Number three is the most important of these steps. The steps are:

1. Note the Make, Model, Year, and license plate number on the car shown in the app.

2. Check out the car that comes to make sure its physical characteristics fit the description in the app.

3. Ask the driver, “What’s my name?”

The University stresses that the driver must tell you your name, and not the other way round.



Ride-share giant Uber sent this statement in an email to The State. “Since 2017, we’ve been working with local law enforcement and college campuses across the country to educate the public about how to avoid fake rideshare drivers. Everyone at Uber is devastated to hear about this unspeakable crime, and our hearts are with Samantha Josephson’s family and loved ones. We remain focused on raising public awareness about this incredibly important issue.”



Advice From Uber

On their website, Uber gives this advice. “One key way is to double check two important details before starting a trip – the driver and the car. When requesting a trip through the Uber app, you receive the driver’s photo, name, the car make/model and license plate number.



In cases when you are helping someone request a ride through Uber who may have had a few drinks or is unfamiliar with the app, help them double check that the driver and vehicle match the details in the app — before they get in the car.



If the information doesn’t match up, do not get into the car. Go to a safe place and wait for the right car to arrive, or cancel the ride and report it to us. In an emergency or if you feel threatened, contact police immediately and inform us of the incident when it’s safe to do so.”