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Samantha Josephson was leaving a bar just past 2 a.m. on Friday night in a popular
nightlife neighborhood close to campus in Columbia, South Carolina. It wasn't
super late (by college standards), and she was in a busy area. Surveillance footage
shows the 21-year-old walking outside, waiting on the sidewalk, and holding her
phone. Then, a black Chevrolet Impala pulled up next to her, and as pedestrians
strolled by, Josephson got in the car.
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Josephson’s friends reported her missing 12 hours later. Just two hours after that,
police found her dead.
It's a mistake anyone could make. When you're waiting for your ride, you might be
worrying about getting enough sleep before work in the morning. Or
perhaps you're just mindlessly scrolling through social media. Whatever the case,
when a car pulls up next to you, your instinct will likely be to get in.
But Josephson's tragic death has made us think: How can women stay safe while
using services like Uber or Lyft? Getting into a stranger's car has become second
nature, and this case has shown us that we all need to take a step back and become
more aware of the risks that come with it. Here, six ways to stay safe while using
ride-sharing apps.
It's also smart to carry something you can use to protect yourself, like pepper spray
or gel. And finally, don't hesitate to call 911 if you think you're in danger. You can
also push a few buttons on your iPhone to alert your emergency contacts with a
text message and your location. Find out how to send an emergency alert on your
iPhone model here.