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‘What’s my name?’: Killing of South Carolina student inspires ride-share safety campaign

Posted at 4:31 PM, Apr 03, 2019
and last updated 2019-04-03 16:31:17-04

People across the country have taken to social media to spread #WhatsMyName following the death of a University of South Carolina student who got into a car she assumed was her Uber ride home.

Samantha Josephson, 21, was killed early Friday morning after getting into a black Chevy Impala she thought was her Uber.

The premise of the hashtag is simple: for your safety, ask the driver you approach to tell you your name. Both Uber and Lyft drivers should have access to that information on their phones and be able to tell you who they are supposed to be picking up.

Along with this, people are encouraged to use the information presented on the app, including – in the case of Uber – a driver’s photo, name, vehicle description and license plate number.

Josephson’s university also tweeted out the suggestion for people to download the RAVE Guardian safety app which allows people to set safety networks and timers on their phones.

According to Uber, drivers should not start a trip until they have confirmed a passenger’s name, though it is not specific about who should be asking who for their identity. Drivers must also be concerned about their personal safety and ensure the person getting in their backseat is the customer.