How Bolt is leveraging technology to enhance rider and driver safety

In a bustling metropolis like Nairobi, where the rhythm of life flows through the daily ebb and flow of ride-hailing services, safety is paramount.

This is a sentiment that resonates not only with passengers but also with drivers, who navigate unpredictable roads while ensuring their own well-being.

Bolt, a leading player in the African mobility sector, has long understood the delicate balance of this dynamic and continues to innovate, rolling out features that safeguard both its riders and drivers.

Among its most recent innovations is Trusted Contacts, a feature that allows riders and drivers to add contacts—family members or close friends—to their accounts.

In the event of an emergency, if the account holder cannot be reached, Bolt’s Safety Team can contact the trusted individuals on the list.

This ensures a more immediate escalation of any safety concerns, from Ride Check notifications to Emergency Assist requests, reinforcing the commitment to user safety.

Dimmy Kanyankole, General Manager of Bolt Kenya and Tanzania, explains: “With Trusted Contacts, we aim to build on our existing efforts by ensuring we can quickly escalate a Ride Check notification or Emergency Assist request to a friend or family member if we can’t get a hold of the Bolt account holder, themselves.”

For the rider, safety begins long before the trip commences. In the past year, Bolt introduced rider verification, a feature aimed at bolstering driver safety. Before booking a ride, a rider must snap a selfie, ensuring the person ordering the trip matches the one in the photo.

The validation process is swift, usually taking only a few minutes, and once verified, riders need not repeat the process.

Linda Ndungu, Country Manager for Bolt Kenya, stated, “We are excited to introduce our latest cancellation option, designed to cut down on offline trips and address instances where drivers insist on charging rates exceeding those on the app.”

The goal? To preserve the integrity of the platform by ensuring that both parties remain within the app’s protective framework.

Bolt’s safety features go beyond verification. In response to increasing concerns about harassment and safety, particularly among female passengers, the company introduced the Women-Only category in 2021.

This feature allows women to book rides exclusively with female drivers, responding to a growing demand for a safer, more comfortable environment.

“We have introduced a safety panic button on the app that both riders and drivers can make use of in situations where they do not feel safe,” Bolt’s response emphasized, reassuring users that their concerns have been heard and acted upon.

For those concerned with the reliability of Bolt’s technological safeguards, the company has rolled out several tools to ensure a secure ride experience.

Riders can share trip details in real-time, sending the car’s registration, make, model, and live location to trusted contacts, enhancing transparency and traceability.

Moreover, the app’s Emergency Assist button discreetly alerts emergency response teams, ensuring swift assistance in critical situations.

To further secure privacy, the app masks phone numbers during communication between riders and drivers, while all trips are continuously tracked for added peace of mind.

Bolt’s unwavering focus on safety is evident in its commitment to both passengers and drivers, as well as its ongoing investment in technology that supports that goal.

"These innovative features ensure our riders always feel safe and comfortable while riding with Bolt," the company notes on its website.

By combining human insight with technological innovation, Bolt is reshaping the ride-hailing experience, proving that safety doesn’t need to be an afterthought—it can be seamlessly integrated into every ride, every day.