South Carolina: Uber bill spurred by killing nears passage

COLUMBIA, S.C. – A bill supporters say will make ride sharing services like Uber safer is a step closer to passing in South Carolina.

The proposal was spurred by last month’s killing of 21-year-old University of South Carolina student Samantha Josephson, who police say mistakenly got into the car of someone impersonating an Uber driver.

The Senate Transportation Committee unanimously sent the proposal to the Senate floor Wednesday. The bill requires ride sharing drivers display their license tag numbers on a sign on the front of their vehicles.

The House passed a different version requiring Uber and Lyft drivers to have a lighted sign.

Ride sharing companies say the best way customers can stay safe is to check the tag number and type of the vehicle and have the driver say their name.