Legislation sponsored by Assembly members Daniel Benson, Wayne DeAngelo and Valerie Vainieri Huttle to improve customer identification of rideshare drivers and their vehicles was signed into law by the Governor today.
In South Carolina, Samantha Josephson, 21, ordered an Uber and mistakenly got into a car she thought was her ride. The driver used the childproof locks in his car to imprison Josephson before killing her and leaving her about 65 miles from Columbia.
The new law (A-5321) addresses safety concerns raised as a result of this tragic occurrence.
Benson and DeAngelo (Both D-Mercer, Middlesex) are the legislative representatives of the 14th district where Samantha grew up and her family still resides.
“In the wake of tragedy, we have seen our local community come together to support the Josephson Family and affect meaningful change. No parent should have to experience the loss of a child, especially due to a lack of common sense safety measures for rideshare services. With the passage of this legislation, New Jersey leads the nation with stricter regulations for these widely utilized services such as Uber and Lyft,” said Assemblyman Daniel Benson.
According to a Pew Survey, 36% of U.S. adults have used a transportation network company; this figure is up from 15% in a similar study from late 2015. It also found that just over half (51%) of adults from age 18 to 29 have used a transportation network company.
“What Seymour and Marci Josephson and their family have endured with the loss of their daughter Sami is a hardship that no family should face,” said Assemblyman DeAngelo. “No one should ever be concerned for the safety of themselves or their loved ones when using these services. We must make sure that as these services continue to develop we are constantly working together to make sure customers are served safely and responsibly.”
“The bottom line is rideshare services must be safe for both the rider and the driver,” said Assemblywoman Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen). “New Jersey should focus on improving identification tools used by customers to recognize their driver and the vehicle. We have to do more to protect New Jersey residents; this cannot happen here. This bill takes us one step closer to achieving that goal.”
Under the new law, a transportation network company (TNC) is directed to provide to every driver that utilizes its digital network a two-dimensional barcode or other technology that is unique to that driver and to that driver’s personal vehicle. This barcode is to be used for identification purposes when providing prearranged rides and may be scanned by a rider to confirm the identity of the driver and the personal vehicle.