Ahead of South Africa’s busy holiday period, ride-hailing platform Bolt has teamed up with the Automobile Association (AA) of South Africa to provide a comprehensive road safety training session for its drivers.

The event took place at Bolt’s Driver Engagement Centre in Randburg, as part of the company’s global safety campaign, and comes at a crucial time ahead of the busy and often hazardous festive season.

The training was designed to equip drivers with practical knowledge on road safety, focusing on key topics such as managing fatigue, vehicle maintenance, safe driving behaviours, and ensuring passenger safety.

It was facilitated by experts from the AA, who also provide Bolt’s emergency response services via an in-app emergency button integrated into the platform.

Speaking about the initiative, Simo Kalajdzic, Senior Operations Manager at Bolt, emphasized its importance: “This training was an important step in assisting driver-partners for the festive season, a time when road safety risks are heightened. The training demonstrates our ongoing commitment to making every ride on our platform safer and more secure for drivers and passengers alike.”

Layton Beard, Head of Public Affairs and International Relations at the AA, underscored the critical need for such initiatives in South Africa: “South Africa’s road deaths average around 14,000 annually, which is a national crisis. Over the holidays, serious road accidents occur daily. The 2023/2024 festive season alone saw 1,427 fatalities on our roads. Many of these accidents result from factors under our control, such as speeding, distracted driving, and vehicle faults. Initiatives like this remind drivers of the preventative steps they can take to avoid devastating consequences.”

This training builds on the existing partnership between Bolt and the AA. Earlier this year, the partnership introduced an in-app emergency button, offering drivers and passengers 24/7 access to private security and emergency services. The latest training further strengthens this partnership, underscoring Bolt’s focus on leveraging innovative tools and education to enhance safety on its platform.

The collaboration highlights Bolt’s broader efforts to enhance safety across its platform, part of a EUR 100 M global commitment over three years to upgrade safety measures.

As the festive season approaches, Bolt’s proactive steps aim to not only ensure safer journeys for its users but also contribute to reducing the alarming rate of road accidents in the country. This initiative aligns with Bolt’s mission to leverage technology and partnerships to create safer and more sustainable urban transport solutions.