There are safety risks that coincide with every service, and Uber is no exception.

Syracuse University Student Association President Aysha Seedat is set to lobby in Albany this spring as part of an ongoing effort to introduce ride-hailing services, such and Lyft and Uber, to New York state. The services are currently only legal in New York City, as they are not included in state insurance regulations. But the proposed growth of the industry has come under fire from critics who argue that leading company Uber’s lack of comprehensive background screenings of its drivers is a substantial source of concern.

While improved safety measures are never a poor investment, Uber’s current policies should not be observed as a considerable impediment to the statewide expansion of ride-hailing services. Standard background checks are not a guarantee that an individual will not commit a crime. And each time a ride-hailing customer steps into a commercial vehicle they are making a conscious decision to accept the risks that may come with the service.

To discredit the transformative opportunities ride-hailing services would bring to greater New York state would be a disservice to communities such as Syracuse where the prospective economic boost and increased convenience would prove to be transformative for the university community and local residents alike.

On a collegiate basis, the integration of ride-hailing services would provide a safer and more affordable alternative to improve student life: a way home after a late night at the library or a night without a designated driver.

Holes have definitely been poked in the practices of ride-hailing services, considering Uber has faced multiple lawsuits and the website whosdrivingyou.org outlines “the risks of Uber and Lyft,” in a compilation of 100 total cases of deaths, assaults, kidnappings, committed felonies, DUIs and other incidents that it attributes to Uber and Lyft drivers.

The services, particularly Uber, are under heightened scrutiny following the shootings in Kalamazoo, Michigan, on Saturday in which Jason Dalton, a 42-year-old Uber driver, is suspected of shooting and killing six people between transporting passengers.

Uber should consider establishing stricter safety practices and ensure that disclaimers are made clear, but the fact of the matter is that the tragedy is not the fault of the business itself but is rather the result of human error. In no way are the actions of the Dalton — who passed a background check — a holistic reflection on ride-hailing services as an industry.

These dangers that take lives and endanger others are not limited to ride-hailing services, and customers have the right to make their own decisions as the foundations of both free market and free choice.

It is human nature to consider the outcomes of a decision before making a conclusion. And in the legal discussion of bringing ride-hailing services to Syracuse, it is clear that the pros far outweigh the cons.

Published on February 24, 2016 at 1:29 am

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