While e-hailing rides are generally considered to be safe, there still exists a level of unease for some, especially if the passenger is a woman and is inside the car alone.
Thinking that she was going to become the victim of a kidnapping, a teenage girl leaped out from her e-hailing ride while it was still on the road, causing her to suffer minor injuries.
17yo M’sian girl jumps out from e-hailing ride over kidnapping fears
According to NST, the alleged incident was first brought to light when a screenshot showing the name of the driver who was behind it went viral on social media.
In the post, it claimed that the driver had purposely turned off the location signal and changed the status to ‘offline’ in the e-hailing application.
However, police have since confirmed that none of the allegations were true, emphasising that it was merely a misunderstanding between the passenger and driver.
According to a statement by Johor Baru Utara police chief Assistant Commissioner Balveer Singh, he said police received a report from the driver on Aug 11 regarding the incident.
In the report, the driver said that he had picked up a 17-year-old girl at around 4.50pm and was sending her to a mall in Tempoi.
However, due to some roadworks along the way, the driver had to change his route. When the girl noticed that he was going a different way, she decided to jump out of the moving car.
“The driver stopped his vehicle immediately to try and help the girl. She was later sent to the hospital by a passer-by to treat minor injuries to her knees, arms and back,” he said as quoted by The Star.
Balveer added that the driver later lodged a police report and reported the incident to the e-hailing company. A police report was filed by the girl as well.
“Police have not found any criminal elements in the case and we urge e-hailing drivers to improve communication with passengers when alternative routes are necessary.
“We also advise the public to always be vigilant but to avoid acting hastily as this can pose risks to yourself and others,” he said.
Balveer also told e-hailing passengers to clarify with the driver before turning to the police.
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