The recent death of a University of South Carolina student has reminded many to revisit the safety precautions around ride-sharing apps. Among those stressing important safety measures is the Marquette University Police Department, which recently issued a notice to its campus community reminding students to remain vigilant when using ride-sharing services.
The incident in South Carolina saw a student of the university enter a car that she believed was her Uber ride, but was in fact not affiliated with the ride share app.
With college students being some of the more common ride-share app users, the Marquette Wire reports that the university police department has posted safety tips to be followed when using these services. Some of the tips include waiting for a ride indoors, asking the driver who they are waiting for, and sharing trip details with a friend.
“If students are concerned while using a ride-share app, they should immediately call 911,” says MUPD Capt. Ruth Peterson. “And if a student is in the Marquette area, they can also use the EagleEye app.”
Marquette’s EagleEye app is a free-to-download safety app that features a mobile BlueLight function that, at the press a button, connects the student directly to MUPD and sends the mobile device’s location in real-time, as long as location services are turned on.
The EagleEye app also includes a Friend Walk feature, which allows students to track their friends’ locations along their journey.
Additional features of the EagleEye app include:
- Emergency contacts
- Mobile BlueLight (when on campus)
- Safety toolbox
- Emergency procedures guide
- Support resources (tools for directing students and staff to proper support outlets)
- Social media links
In addition to technological measures like EagleEye’s Bluelight function, Marquette PD stresses that students should never provide personal details like a phone number to drivers. MUPD also reminds students that rating drivers after every ride is important as ratings allow companies like Uber or Lyft to remove any potentially dangerous or unfit drivers from the service.
