EAST LANSING, Mich. — On Tuesday, a coroner confirmed the cause of death for a college student who was brutally murdered after she mistakenly got into a car that she thought was her uber ride.
South Carolina officials say 21-year-old Samantha Josephson died of "multiple sharp force injuries." She was found dead by hunters in a field Saturday, one day after she disappeared.
This story has shocked much of the country with students, parents, and anyone who uses ride share services wondering if it could happen to them.
It's something many college students always have in the back of their head, and students at Michigan State are no exception. If you need a ride home, it's important to stay alert no matter what option you choose.
"Unsure of not knowing who that person is. Obviously, we have a destination to go to and that's what Uber's are for but again, you're never sure what could happen," MSU sophomore Caroline Nguyen said.
Uber, Lyft, or calling a taxi, all common ways students get from Point A to Point B after a night out. But there is another option if the news of South Carolina college student Samantha Josephson's death makes you not want to take the risk. The Associated Students of Michigan State University (ASMSU) created Safe Ride. It's free and non-judgmental and drivers go through extensive training.
"They know how to handle crisis and different situations they also have extensive background checks that they get through Dean and we also meet with them monthly and have really good, close relationships with our drivers and student dispatchers," Jenna Gudritz said. Gudritz is the assistant vice president for finance and operations for ASMSU.
The service started fully in 2017 as an alternative to paying for a ride service. All students need is the TransLoc app and an MSU ID. They say in the wake of the tragedy, more people are looking to use the service.
"We definitely do see more female riders using Safe Ride. We see a lot more students using the service as opposed to a couple of years ago. Just having that free option where you know you can rely on someone to take you home safely every night, I know that's really important for students," Gudritz added.
Michigan State Police say that there haven't been any instances like what happened in South Carolina in the area lately, but that doesn't mean you should let your guard down.
"My recommendation would be, regardless of the medium, is to travel with friends or a group. Do your due diligence. Do your homework. Make sure you research it, make sure you let people know where you're going. Just take the generic safety precautions to ensure you're going to get to your destination safely," Lt. Darren Green said.
State Police say you should make sure the license plate and driver match the picture on the app. In addition, always tell a friend where you are going and when you leave. If something feels off, don't get in the car.
For more information on Safe Ride, click here. [asmsu.msu.edu]
To download the TransLoc app for iPhone, click here. [itunes.apple.com]
To download the TransLoc app for Android, click here. [play.google.com]
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