How college students are rethinking using Uber, Lyft after tragic death of Samantha Josephson

WASHINGTON – Izzy Moffroid, 19, is a freshman at George Washington University in the nation's capital. A month ago, she and two friends called a ride via Uber, a popular ride-share app, after going out for breakfast.

"My friend just opened the door and got in," Moffroid said.

The driver greeted the group as if he were their Uber driver. But, before getting into the car herself, Moffroid checked the license plate number on her app for the car that was supposed to pick up the group. She realized this wasn't the right car, even though the driver had said hello as if he was there for them.

"I told my friend 'That's not our Uber,'" Moffroid said. "I don't think it was an Uber at all."

Moffroid and her friends were spooked, especially after hearing about the death of Samantha Josephson, 21, just weeks later. Josephson, a student at the University of South Carolina, was murdered on March 29 after she got in a car she mistook for an Uber.

"He scooted away immediately," Moffroid said. "It just shows you've got to be alert and aware."

For college students across the country, using rideshare apps such as Uber and Lyft has become a way of life. But, in the wake of Josephson's death, many are thinking twice about using them to get home from a party or to venture off campus.

Related: Hundreds gather for funeral of Samantha Josephson, student killed after getting into wrong car

'It can happen very easily'

Seeran Enayet, 20, a sophomore at George Washington University studying anthropology, international affairs and Arabic, said the news about Josephson's death was scary because he has friends who get into Ubers without checking the driver's name or license plate "all the time."

"What really struck me is that things with ride-sharing seem very unsafe now, especially when I think of my female friends who go alone at night back to their dorms," Enayet said.

Across the city at Georgetown University, students also worried about their own ride-share habits and how to keep themselves safe.

Anastasia Nesterova, 18, a sophomore studying computer science and French, said she was now afraid to take Ubers by herself. She admits she has forgotten to match a car's license plate to her app or to check the driver's name on prior trips.

"It was really scary and made me a lot more nervous about taking Ubers by myself than I had been before," Nesterova said. "I don't really take many precautions, so I don't know what could have happened."

Also: Hundreds gather in NJ for funeral of Samantha Josephson, college student killed in SC

Another concern among students is leaving bars, concerts or parties. When everyone is leaving at once, students often scramble to quickly get into a car they think is right to get out of a crowded area, according to Cira Mancuso, 20, a sophomore in Georgetown's School of Foreign Service studying international politics.

"It is just very scary because it can happen very easily," Mancuso said. "Especially in D.C., you're just trying to find the car as quickly as you can and get out of the traffic."

How can you keep yourself safe?

Common-sense tips for staying safe are a critical part of using ride-share apps, according to Molly Fergus, General Manager of TripSavvy. She advised riders to always matching the license plate number on a car to the license plate number on your Uber, Lyft or other app. Making sure someone else, like a friend or parent, always knows where you are going and how you are getting there can keep you safe, she said.

"People joke about accidentally getting into the wrong car, but there are safety tips everyone needs to follow," Fergus said. "This is the kind of stuff your mom taught you."

Fergus also recommended researching local legislation and studies to understand whether a taxi or ride-share is safer. Different areas also have different background-check requirements for drivers.

"The world isn't perfect," Fergus said. "We need to make sure we're taking the right steps."

If you are calling a ride-share from a crowded location, such as when people are leaving a concert venue, Harry Campbell, founder of The Rideshare Guy and author of "The Rideshare Guide," advises stepping a few doors down to make sure you can see which car is coming to pick you up and have the space to check its license plate.

"There are precautions you can take to ensure maximum safety," Campbell said. "It's always a good idea to take a little extra precaution."

Another approach was initiated by South Carolina State Reps. Seth Rose, a Democrat, and Republican Micah Caskey. They introduced legislation Tuesday to ensure that all ride-sharing services have illuminated signs on their cars visible to riders.

"Helping riders avoid psychos is a no-brainer," Caskey said in a Twitter post. "I’m hopeful we can get this bipartisanship bill through the legislature quickly."

Any steps toward making college students more aware of their own safety could be "helpful," Moffroid said.

"It's not that hard, but you do have to make that extra effort," Moffroid said. "I think that would really help the situation."

Uber said it will be implementing multiple steps in the coming weeks to address safety concerns, including a "Check Your Ride" awareness campaign on social media, purchasing ads in college newspapers with public service announcements, promoting their in-app safety center and sending push notifications during pickups with safety tips.

“Since 2017, we’ve been working with local law enforcement 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," an Uber spokesperson said.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: How college students are rethinking using Uber, Lyft after tragic death of Samantha Josephson