96% feel safer with e-hailing safety tools, but SOS feature lags behind
· Citizen
Almost all active ride-hailing users surveyed by Ipsos said in-app safety features make them feel safer.
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However, when asked which individual features they find useful, only 42% selected the Emergency/SOS button, compared with 66% for real-time GPS tracking, and 64% for live trip sharing.
Simo Kalajdzic, Senior Operations Manager at Bolt South Africa, said emergency tools are designed for rare, high-pressure situations; knowing where to find them before you need them is particularly important.
To understand where these awareness gaps exist, Bolt commissioned the Ipsos Ride-Hailing Safety Index, a survey of 250 active ride-hailing users across Johannesburg, Cape Town, Durban, and Pretoria.
People feel safe using e-hailing
The survey found that 77% consider e-hailing safer than other transport options, and 92% feel safer using it when travelling at night.
“Emergency Assist, Bolt’s in-app emergency feature, is available to riders and drivers during an active trip,” said Kalajdzic.
“It is intended for situations requiring immediate emergency assistance, including a road traffic accident, medical emergency, or circumstances in which someone feels threatened or believes their personal safety is at immediate risk.”
Familiarise with safety tools
Kalajdzic advises riders and drivers to familiarise themselves with the Safety Toolkit rather than waiting for an emergency.
“Riders should also confirm that the driver and vehicle details match the information displayed in the app, keep their phones sufficiently charged, and share their live trip with someone they trust when appropriate,” he said.
“The findings confirmed everyday safety features like GPS tracking are well understood, but emergency tools are less familiar precisely because people rarely need them.
“That is the gap we are focused on closing. Taking one minute to find Emergency Assist before a trip could make all the difference when every second counts.”
Reason for safety tools
He added that the feature is designed to help users access emergency support quickly in high-pressure situations. It should only be activated in a genuine emergency.
“The SALGA study calls for shared safety and service frameworks involving e-hailing platforms and other public transport operators, reinforcing the importance of collaboration across the broader transport ecosystem,” said Kalajdzic.
“Take one minute before your next trip to find Emergency Assist. One minute now could save vital seconds later.”