Bill Overview
Title: Sami's Law
Description: This act addresses safety requirements for passengers and drivers of ride-sharing companies (e.g., Uber, Lyft, or taxicabs). The act requires the Government Accountability Office to submit to Congress a biennial report that includes the results of a study regarding (1) the incidence of fatal and non-fatal physical assault and sexual assault in the preceding two calendar years on drivers by passengers of ride-sharing vehicles and on passengers by drivers of such vehicles, (2) the nature and specifics of any background checks conducted on prospective drivers of ride-sharing vehicles, and (3) the safety steps taken by ride-sharing companies related to rider and driver safety.
Sponsors: Rep. Smith, Christopher H. [R-NJ-4]
Target Audience
Population: Ride-sharing service users worldwide
Estimated Size: 90000000
- Ride-sharing platforms are used globally, with millions of users and drivers benefiting from its convenience and flexibility.
- Uber and Lyft are among the largest ride-sharing companies with a significant global presence, indicating a substantial global population using such services.
- The legislation's focus on safety aims to impact all users of these platforms, both passengers and drivers.
- Sexual and physical assault incidents, although a small percentage, affect thousands of users monthly on a global scale, highlighting the importance of this bill.
Reasoning
- Given the large and varied population of ride-sharing service users in the U.S., it's important to survey a wide range of demographics and usage patterns to understand the potential impact of Sami's Law.
- The policy focuses on increasing safety, particularly in terms of assaults, which while rare, have significant impacts on trust in these services. Therefore, feedback from both frequent and infrequent users, as well as drivers, is essential.
- Well-being scores are based on perceived safety and trust in ride-sharing, which likely vary significantly among users based on their previous experiences.
- Budget constraints mean that the policy needs to be implemented effectively without significant increases in costs for ride-sharing companies or users.
Simulated Interviews
Graphic Designer (New York City, NY)
Age: 25 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I generally feel safe using ride-sharing apps but hearing about incidents makes me cautious at night.
- If this law leads to better screening and safety features, I’d feel more at ease.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 7 |
Ride-share Driver (Austin, TX)
Age: 48 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I’m supportive of measures that ensure safety, but there’s concern about how these might translate into stricter regulations for drivers.
- More comprehensive background checks are fine as long as they're fair and consistent.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 6 |
Software Engineer (San Francisco, CA)
Age: 31 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 15/20
Statement of Opinion:
- It's good to see safety being prioritized, but I worry about potential cost increases or service disruptions.
- I'd appreciate transparency in how these changes are being implemented.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Retired (Chicago, IL)
Age: 60 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 9/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I avoid using these services late at night due to safety concerns.
- If the policy really improves safety, I’d feel more comfortable using ride-sharing more often.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 6 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
College Student (Columbus, OH)
Age: 22 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 17/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I usually feel fine but have had a couple of uncomfortable rides.
- Better safety precautions would be reassuring, but any cost increases would be hard for me.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 7 | 6 |
Nurse (Atlanta, GA)
Age: 40 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 6
Duration of Impact: 10.0 years
Commonness: 10/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Improved safety measures would definitely make me feel safer when I’m taking rides after late shifts.
- Hope it doesn’t lead to longer wait times for rides.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 6 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 6 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 6 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 6 |
Freelance Photographer (Seattle, WA)
Age: 29 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 8
Duration of Impact: 3.0 years
Commonness: 11/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Safety hasn’t been a major issue for me, but reinforcing it could help others feel more at ease, which is good for everyone.
- Hopefully, this won't add hidden fees.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 8 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 8 |
Tour guide (Miami, FL)
Age: 35 | Gender: female
Wellbeing Before Policy: 7
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 13/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Hearing about incidents in the news makes me uneasy, but enhanced safety measures would definitely make a difference.
- I hope policies won't interfere with service availability.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 2 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 7 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 7 |
Student (Denver, CO)
Age: 28 | Gender: other
Wellbeing Before Policy: 5
Duration of Impact: 8.0 years
Commonness: 12/20
Statement of Opinion:
- Incidents make me worry about taking late rides; improved safety would offer peace of mind.
- Trust in these services is essential for students like me.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 2 | 7 | 5 |
| Year 3 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 5 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 10 | 8 | 5 |
| Year 20 | 8 | 5 |
Corporate Executive (Boston, MA)
Age: 55 | Gender: male
Wellbeing Before Policy: 9
Duration of Impact: 5.0 years
Commonness: 8/20
Statement of Opinion:
- I have a high comfort level with ride-sharing, but any improvements in safety would enhance trust across the board.
- It's important these measures don't complicate booking rides on tight schedules.
Wellbeing Over Time (With vs Without Policy)
| Year | With Policy | Without Policy |
|---|---|---|
| Year 1 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 2 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 3 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 5 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 10 | 9 | 9 |
| Year 20 | 9 | 9 |
Cost Estimates
Year 1: $5000000 (Low: $4000000, High: $6000000)
Year 2: $5000000 (Low: $4000000, High: $6000000)
Year 3: $5200000 (Low: $4200000, High: $6200000)
Year 5: $5400000 (Low: $4400000, High: $6400000)
Year 10: $6000000 (Low: $5000000, High: $7000000)
Year 100: $15000000 (Low: $13000000, High: $17000000)
Key Considerations
- The law mandates new annual work for the GAO, incurring recurrent costs.
- There's an emphasis on safety which could indirectly affect the ride-sharing market positively by improving public perception.
- Because of its focus on ride-sharing platforms, the cost to these companies for data handling could rise but is outside direct government expense.
- Potential savings from reduced assault cases could be intangible and not directly computable.