Dillon Abend, founder of 3rd-i, explains why rideshare passengers may hesitate to call police when they fear someone nearby could hear them and immediately react.
Woman's routine Uber ride takes alarming turn after her driver misses the exit
by Kelly McGreal · Fox NewsNEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
A late-night ride experience is raising questions about what passengers should do when a routine trip begins to feel uncomfortable.
In a recent TikTok video, a woman said she was riding in an Uber at around 3 a.m. when her driver asked to stop at a parking garage for 15 to 20 minutes to charge his electric vehicle.
The woman, according to her video, said the vehicle was at 43% charge — and that she was about 25 minutes from home at the time.
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Her concern grew after the driver reportedly missed an exit, prompting her to question exactly where they were headed.
"I don't want to get into a random parking lot with you," the woman can be heard telling the driver. "You also just missed the exit."
Fox News Digital reached out to the woman who posted the TikTok video for additional details.
The woman ultimately ended the trip and contacted police, according to the video.
In a statement, Uber told Fox News Digital that it investigated the report and took action.
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"Everyone deserves to feel safe and comfortable when using the Uber platform," an Uber spokesperson said.
"We have investigated this report and taken appropriate action."
The company pointed to safety features available through its app, including an emergency button, GPS tracking and the ability to share trip details with others.
The incident has raised broader questions about what passengers can do if they feel uneasy during a rideshare trip.
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Dillon Abend, a recent college graduate and the founder and CEO of rideshare safety app 3rd-i, based in New Jersey, told Fox News Digital that an unexpected change in route can quickly raise concerns, particularly for someone traveling alone late at night.
"Your heart just drops," he said.
Abend said he's heard from hundreds of college students about situations that left them feeling uncomfortable during various rideshare trips.
For passengers who begin feeling uncomfortable, seeking help can be challenging.
"Almost everyone's reasoning in this situation is, 'I didn't want the driver three feet away to hear me call the police and have them act,'" Abend said.
Technology can provide passengers with additional ways to stay connected or seek help during a ride-hailing trip, according to Abend.
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"Ideally, you want to share your location with people," he said. "Let a core group of three to five people know where you're going and the details of it."
Before getting into a vehicle, check the license plate and confirm that the driver and vehicle match the information displayed in the rideshare app, he advised.
New Jersey-based Seymour Josephson, co-president of the What's My Name Foundation, has been working with Uber and Lyft since July 2020 to promote rideshare safety on college campuses.
He and his wife, Marci Josephson, established the foundation after their 21-year-old daughter, Samantha, was killed on March 29, 2019, when she mistakenly entered a vehicle she thought was the Uber she had hailed.
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The What's My Name Foundation encourages passengers to follow four steps before entering a ride-hailed vehicle: stop, ask, match and inform — known as the "SAMI" steps.
People should stop before they enter the vehicle, ask the driver, "What's my name?" and match the vehicle's license plate with the information provided in the app.
Fox News Digital reached out to Lyft for comment and details.
"We want to make sure that we're not just getting into a car, but we're getting into the right car, the right Uber," Josephson said.
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Seymour Josephson said he is not looking to discourage people from using rideshare services, but to make the experience safer for everyone — both rider and driver.
"We also helped bring forward the four-digit PIN with Uber and now Lyft," Seymour Josephson said.
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"All it is," he continued, "is a two-step authentication. And it's securing that it is your ride by giving that pin to the driver before you get in."
Kelly McGreal is a production assistant with the lifestyle team at Fox News Digital.