As students prepare to leave for colleges all around the country, many of which don’t allow freshmen to bring cars, they must take into account the need for ride-sharing services or public transportation to get around. Uber emerged as a platform where people hire drivers to drive them to their desired destination. However, recent studies from students at the University of California have revealed some of the major problems that come along with Uber and other related platforms.
A report from the Daily Bruin released that Uber has caused a massive increase in car trips to many of the most walkable and public transit friendly places in the U.S. This leads to more pollution and exhaust, which then can then lead to a negative impact on the environment. The increased use of Uber has also caused a rise in traffic fatalities and huge declines in public transportation use.
Some of the more frequently asked questions include whether or not riding in an Uber has been proved to actually be safe, especially for women and children. Alarms.org has taken a survey of how safe women feel while riding in an Uber. 23% of the women surveyed revealed that they have experienced an uncomfortable ride while in an Uber. This includes being hit on, the driver continuing to contact them after the ride, and even assault.
Despite the dangers, numerous studies have shown that women continue to use ride-hailing apps, and some even say that they find Uber and Lyft the safest form of public transportation. According to Uber, the company promises to always do background checks on all of the drivers, and they always take proper precautions to ensure a safe and comfortable ride. However, Uber released a disclosure that US riders reported more than 3000 assaults last year, according to Vox, so make sure to use ride-services such as Uber or Lyft with caution.
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