In a recent alarming incident, a woman narrowly escaped an apparent abduction attempt by an e-hailing driver. The victim, an employee en route to an event, recounted her harrowing experience, highlighting significant safety concerns associated with e-hailing services.
The incident occurred last Wednesday, as the employee, Neera, opted for an e-hailing service to reach her destination after taking the Subang Jaya LRT train. As reported by NST, Neera attempted to make a cash payment, but the driver remained unresponsive, leaving her feeling uneasy.
The situation escalated as the driver veered into an obscure route and drove past an empty building. Distressed and sensing danger, Neera called emergency services (999) for help. Despite assistance from customer service officers, the driver maintained silence, heightening Neera’s fear. In a brave act of self-preservation, Neera decided to jump out of the moving vehicle near the empty building, seeking refuge and safety.
Ayuni Dean, Neera’s employer, promptly reported the incident to the police, emphasizing the urgency to address such safety issues. She also underscored the need for passengers to adopt safety practices, such as sharing live location and driver information with family members and taking a photo of the vehicle before embarking on the journey.
This alarming incident sheds light on the critical importance of prioritizing passenger safety within the e-hailing industry. Both authorities and service providers must collaborate to enhance safety measures, ensuring the well-being of passengers remains a top priority. Passenger safety guidelines, proper driver vetting, and enhanced tracking systems could play a crucial role in averting such distressing incidents in the future.
As investigations proceed, it is imperative that the authorities swiftly apprehend the suspect and reinforce measures to prevent similar incidents, fostering a secure environment for passengers utilising e-hailing services.
