Julia Viscomi, a mother from Florida, has publicly criticized Uber for its lack of action after her daughter, Amelia, was left alone in a driver’s vehicle. This distressing incident began when Viscomi reported her sleeping daughter was still in the car, but Uber declined to contact the driver for assistance, prompting her to reach out to local authorities.
The fiasco began last month when Viscomi hailed an Uber with Amelia. After arriving at their destination, the driver accidentally drove away without checking whether the child had gotten out of the vehicle. Fearing for her daughter’s safety, Viscomi quickly alerted local law enforcement. They told her to get an updated picture of Amelia for the Amber Alert. All the while, they were trying to find her.
“I’ve been making an effort these past 5 weeks to work this out privately and amicably with Uber, directly,” said Viscomi. But Uber still won’t accept real accountability.
Viscomi explained how she was forced to wait for other riders to get off the vehicle before she could get Amelia. Since her safety net was removed, our friend’s young girl was left alone in the dark with a stranger, which scared and shocked the child. Reports state that it took police over an hour to locate the vehicle and determine Amelia’s security.
“My daughter was alone in the dark, with a stranger, terrified and confused,” – Julia Viscomi
Viscomi documented multiple efforts to reach out to Uber Traffic Safety about her issues. In response, the company provided her with a pre-determined, automated credit of $10 for her distress. She felt this response was inadequate in the face of such an emergency.
Uber officials were forced to respond to the incident after Viscomi’s detailed Facebook post describing her harrowing experience went viral. For them, this served as an additional reminder that safety for all users should be their highest priority. For Viscomi, their response didn’t go far enough to hold them accountable.
“Her life was in danger and Uber refused to help,” – Julia Viscomi
In testimony submitted to the Transportation Committee, Viscomi charged Uber with prioritizing policy over her daughter’s safety. She bemoaned their inability to admit to any shortcomings in their systems and their inability to engage in conversations about changing any policies. She was always patient, kind and professional. She felt like her concerns were blown off by the company’s bureaucratic processes.
“This was no time for bureaucratic red tape,” – Julia Viscomi
In the wake of the tragedy, Viscomi has been advocating for stricter accountability measures from rideshare companies. She cautioned parents to ask the company for guarantees. Should something unfortunate occur on a trip, they need to take swift action rather than cower behind corporate policies.
“Every parent deserves to know that if something goes wrong during a ride, the company they trusted will act, not hide behind policy,” – Julia Viscomi
This tragedy highlights critical, yet systemic failures in how rideshare companies, including Uber, respond during emergencies.
Tactical responses
We must push them to lead on the right response strategies. As discussions continue, many are left wondering about the safety measures that are truly effective in protecting vulnerable passengers such as children.
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