CHESTER, NJ (December 9, 2019) – According to a report released on Thursday, Uber revealed that more than 3,000 sexual assaults were reported during its U.S. rides in 2018, including 229 rapes.

Republican U.S. Senate frontrunner from New Jersey, Rik Mehta, said these numbers prove the need to enact the proposed federal version of Sami’s Law.

“These numbers are alarming and show that we need to be doing much more to make our streets the safest,” said Mehta. “I applaud Rep. Smith’s efforts towards making Sami’s Law a reality, and if elected I will do everything possible to help him get this passed.”

Introduced by New Jersey’s Congressman Christopher Smith (R- Fourth Congressional District), the purpose of Sami’s Law is to protect rideshare users from sexual assault and other crimes. The law is named after Samantha Josephson, a Robbinsville NJ resident who was murdered by a predator pretending to be an Uber driver.

In June, New Jersey signed a local Sami’s Law that requires rideshare companies to:
* Display two “identifying markers” on the front windshield and rear window.
* Display two placards with the driver’s name, photograph, and license plate number on the driver’s side and passenger’s side rear windows.
* Display two copies of a barcode/Q code, which a passenger can scan to confirm the vehicle is the one they ordered.
* Any violation is levied a $250 fine, while any rideshare company that fails to comply can be banned from operating in New Jersey.

The federal law would further strengthen consumer protections, including special state-issued rideshare license plates, and states that do not implement the plan will lose one percent of their federal highway funding.

“As a father of three children, I applaud Congressman Smith for protecting our kids by making rideshare safer, and I look forward to working with him in Washington to advance this legislation,” added Mehta.

About Rik Mehta
U.S. Senate hopeful Dr. Rik Mehta is a father, husband, biotech entrepreneur and a global healthcare policy expert who has emerged as a top contender for the U.S. Senate seat in 2020 because of his intimate knowledge of the issues that matter to New Jersey. As a small business owner and a first generation American, he’s a staunch advocate for Constitutional integrity, safe and legal immigration, a healthcare system that’s built for generations to come, and laws that put New Jersey innovation first. Rik received his B.S. in pharmacy from Rutgers University, his Pharm.D. from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, his J.D. from Rutgers University School of Law, and a Master of Laws in Global Health Law and International Institutions through a joint program with Georgetown University Law Center and the Graduate Institute for International and Development Studies in Geneva, Switzerland. Rik lives in Morris County, where he and his wife Reema raise their three little gentlemen and their dog Dexter. Rik’s energetic wife, Reema, is also an influential leader and scientist. She is a former FDA official and currently works as a drug safety science leader at Pfizer, where she is also a member on the FDA Advisory Committee in drug safety and risk management. The two met at their alma mater, Rutgers University-New Brunswick, where they married.

More info can be found on his website: <<https://rikfornj.com/>>

“Rik Mehta is one of the strongest candidates on the Republican side, running against current senator for New Jersey, the Democrat Cory Booker.” Political Hispanic USA

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