Bolt commissions safety research to understand where awareness gaps exist and how to close them
Almost all active ride-hailing users surveyed by Ipsos said in-app safety features make them feel safer. 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. Because emergency tools are designed for rare, high-pressure situations, knowing where to find them before they are needed 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. It found that 77% consider it safer than other transport options, and 92% feel safer using ride-hailing when travelling at night.
Bolt’s engagement with safety research extends beyond its own commissioned work. The company was among the platforms whose trip data informed the 2026 SALGA National E-Hailing Study, commissioned by the South African Local Government Association. Drawing on more than 1.1 million trip requests across South Africa’s metropolitan municipalities, the study found that demand peaks during the morning and evening rush hours and described e-hailing as an integral component of the daily commuter ecosystem rather than only a discretionary or leisure service.
Understanding where awareness gaps exist is the first step toward closing them. As riders and drivers increasingly rely on these platforms for everyday journeys, Bolt is acting on its findings by encouraging both groups to familiarise themselves with the Safety Toolkit before starting a trip.
Emergency Assist, Bolt’s in-app emergency feature, is available to riders and drivers during an active trip. 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.
Before their next journey, riders and drivers are encouraged to open the Safety Toolkit and locate Emergency Assist rather than waiting until an emergency occurs. 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.
Simo Kalajdzic, Senior Operations Manager at Bolt South Africa, said: “We commissioned this research because we wanted to understand not just whether people feel safe, but whether they know how to access help when it matters most. The findings confirmed what we suspected: 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.”
The feature is designed to help users access emergency support quickly during a high-pressure situation. 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. Bolt is already engaged in that work, through driver and rider verification and through ongoing engagement with government, law enforcement and transport stakeholders on measures to improve safety across the e-hailing industry.
Bolt’s message to riders and drivers is simple: take one minute before your next trip to find Emergency Assist. One minute now could save vital seconds later.
