Stranger Danger

Stranger Danger      by: Jim Silvania

Stranger Danger is what parents and grandparents have been telling their children and grandchildren for years; “Don’t get into a car with a stranger” But in the “strange” world of today the Ohio P.U.C.O and the State Legislators who sponsored HB 237 now say that’s OK.  It’s ok to let your child get into the vehicle of just anybody; therefore, placing that child at risk.

As parents and grandparents, we let our children get on to a school bus or into a taxi with a stranger because we are under the insurance that the driver of that vehicle has undergone an extensive background investigation. A background investigation where the driver has submitted his or her fingerprints to a State or Federal Agency. An agency that verifies that said individual is a citizen and not a felon, a sexual predator and who has the right to drive that vehicle, which is properly insured.  Does any of those background check apply to Lyft and Uber? No.

The City of Columbus once respected the wishes of the voters to provide for a safe environment for the transportation of our children to and from school but the State Legislature in HB 237 saw otherwise. They took the regulation and compliance power away from the local jurisdictions and gave it to the P.U.C.O.  and what does the P.U.C.O. do with that regulation and compliance power, nothing. They rely of self-reporting data from the industry (Uber & Lyft). 

Uber’s process for onboarding drivers is dangerously negligent and places your child in danger. Neither Uber nor Lyft uses fingerprints or law enforcement to background-check their drivers. And Uber doesn’t even bother to meet with drivers in person before allowing them to ferry passengers.
The result is a series of incidents involving “ridesharing” passengers being harmed and criminal offenders being behind the wheel:  So far 49 deaths have been attributed to Uber & Lyft drivers, 92 assaults, 366 sexual assaults, 16 kidnappings, and 98 imposters posing as Uber or Lyft drivers.

The above are facts. Facts apparently ignored by the State Legislators voted for HB 237. Ignored by the Ohio P.U.C.O. who don’t think it’s their responsibility to make sure that Uber and Lyft drivers are following the law. That Uber and Lyft drivers are licensed, insured not felons and in compliance with the minimal requirements of HB 237.  Uber and Lyft must be forced to ensure that their drivers undergo a fingerprint State or Federal Background check which are monitored (Rap-Back) while the driver is operating for their entity. 

  At present your child is at risk and the above proves “stranger danger” is in fact at hand when you or your child enter a Uber or Lyft vehicle.