Pamela Anderson Calls for Increased Safety Regulations for Ride-Hailing Apps in Anti-Sexual Assault PSA

NEW YORK, Nov. 2, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Limousine Association's Ride Responsibly™ initiative (www.rideresponsibly.org) and the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (www.nsvrc.org) have joined forces to produce a public service campaign, starring actress and activist Pamela Anderson. The PSA educates the industry and public at large about the dangers associated with ride-hailing apps.

Experience the interactive Multimedia News Release here: https://www.multivu.com/players/English/7769451-nla-ride-responsibly-driving-game-psa

The video, titled "The Driving Game!", is an extension of the Ride Responsibly initiative to improve safety for passengers using ride-hailing apps. In the PSA, Ms. Anderson takes a lighthearted approach at communicating the critically important point that "you can't always vet the driver you are using, but the service you are using should."

"With an alarming number of alleged sexual assaults involving ride-hail app drivers, our partnership with the NSVRC is a vital step towards bringing these urgent matters to the forefront of conversation here in the United States," said Gary Buffo, President of the NLA. "Due to the perilously incomprehensive background checks used by ride-hailing apps, we must establish a new nationwide standard, inclusive of fingerprinting for all ground transportation providers."

The NSRVC, known for preventing and responding to sexual violence through collaboration, sharing and creating resources and promoting research, advocates for stricter regulations to protect riders.

"Prevention of sexual violence is everyone's responsibility," NSVRC CEO Delilah Rumburg said. "Organizations, like the National Limousine Association, have the ability to create and strengthen policies to promote safety and respect for all. We're proud to partner with the National Limousine Association— as they work to ensure the safety of all those who use hired transportation. 

"Every day, millions of Americans use ride-hailing apps that do not always hold their drivers accountable for their behavior behind the wheel, leaving passengers vulnerable," said Pamela Anderson. "Much more concerning are incidents of sexual assault. It is time we implement some common sense measures, including comprehensive background checks and drug testing, for everyone's safety."

The NLA continuously seeks new ways to protect passengers of any ground transportation vehicle, including prearranged services and ride-hailing apps. This new PSA reinforces the message of the NLA's 2015 Ride Responsibly campaign, encouraging passengers to "Think Before You App!"

ABOUT THE NLA:

The National Limousine Association is a non-profit organization responsible for and dedicated to representing the interests of the private driver transportation industry at the global, national, state, and local level. It is the unified voice of this industry – linking transportation industry professionals from owners and operators to suppliers, manufacturers, regional and state limousine associations. With more than 2,000 NLA members, the Association is committed to exceeding expectations with regards to professionalism, transportation efficiency and safe riding.

For additional information on the NLA, please visit www.limo.org.

ABOUT RIDE RESPONSIBLY:

The Ride Responsibly campaign is an unprecedented effort to bridge an industry-wide gap between the rights of passengers and the responsibilities of service providers. The campaign establishes best safety practices for prearranged car services and transportation network companies (TNCs), which include ride-hailing app car services, such as Lyft, Sidecar, Uber and Whisk. This initiative by the National Limousine Association is designed to help address growing public concern and provide a forum for all to voice their views on the ground transportation industry. The program focuses on educating both service providers and the public about regulations, legislation and best practices within the industry. The goal is to empower and inform the public at large, and drivers and operators alike with the necessary tools to Ride Responsibly.

For additional information on Ride Responsibly™, please visit www.rideresponsibly.org.

ABOUT NSVRC:

The National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) is the leading nonprofit in providing information and tools to prevent and respond to sexual violence. NSVRC translates research and trends into best practices that help individuals, communities and service providers achieve real and lasting change. The center also works with the media to promote informed reporting. Every April, NSVRC leads Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), a campaign to educate and engage the public in addressing this widespread issue. NSVRC is also one of the three founding organizations of Raliance, a national, collaborative initiative dedicated to ending sexual violence in one generation. The organization was chartered in 2000 by the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape through a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

For additional information on the NSVRC, please visit http://www.nsvrc.org/.

SOURCE The National Limousine Association