Rideshare safety: How to stay safe while riding with Uber, Lyft

"It was scary how real that can be and how easy it is for something like that to happen," said Madison Beckom, a freshman at North Carolina State University.

"You should make sure you're getting in the right car because we've gotten in the wrong Uber before," said Karmen Idol, a freshman at N.C. State. "We were fine, but we were also in a group."

Josephson was riding alone.

"If there's two of you, something less likely will happen," Seymour Josephson, Samantha’s dad, said. "Samantha was by herself. She had absolutely no chance, none."

C.J. Scarlet speaks and writes about women's self-defense after her own experience being raped when she was in college.

"It was a very traumatic event, and it took me years to deal with it," Scarlet said.

She says rule No. 1 is to not give your name to the driver – ask them for your name instead. And rule No. 2, make sure you have the right car.

"Check the make and model of the car. Then, ask who they are and who they are there to meet before you ever get in," Scarlet said.

Rule No. 3, share your location on the app or through another application with a friend or family member.

"You can activate on your phone, tell it to share your location with somebody you trust," she said.

Also, try to travel with a friend.

"Have a wingman or wingwoman that you're traveling with," Scarlet said. "The person who murdered this young woman was an opportunistic predator. He was taking advantage of a situation because it presented itself."

Rule No. 5, sit in the front seat of the car if you're alone. The child safety locks work only in the backseat and can cause you to be trapped.

"If someone kidnaps you and takes you to another location to commit the crime, you will have to fight for your life in that situation," Scarlet said.

You have a much better shot at fighting for your life from the front seat, where you can open the door and get out, she said. Scarlet also recommends women carry pepper spray, and she means carrying it in your hand, not just having it in your purse.