Safer journeys — before, during, and after your Bolt rides 

The availability of some of the features mentioned in this article varies by location.

With Bolt, you have a convenient, fast, and affordable ride-hailing service at the touch of a button. And we want to ensure you’re safe at all times.

For this reason, we’ve built tools and processes and developed dozens of safety products and features.

But safety’s something we can’t tackle alone. 

So please take a moment to get acquainted with our safety measures and features to guarantee your well-being before, during, and after rides.

Safety before your journey

We have a suite of processes and features that address your safety before a ride even starts. 

Reliable vehicles

We aim to ensure all vehicles on our platform are roadworthy, in good technical condition, and have the necessary paperwork for the country of operation.

Trustworthy drivers

We verify the identity of all drivers before they can start driving on our platform and conduct periodic ID checks to maintain the integrity of our service. Where possible, we conduct background checks to ensure drivers don’t have a criminal record.

All drivers on the Bolt platform have a valid driving licence and have received guidance on providing an excellent ride-hailing experience.

We’ve also introduced driving time limits where possible to ensure drivers have sufficient rest and are always fresh and alert at the wheel.

The Women for Women category

In a growing number of cities, female riders can request rides with a female driver for added comfort and convenience. Passengers requesting a Women for Women ride are asked to verify their identity by taking a selfie and uploading a picture of their ID.

We encourage female passengers to try this ride type to inspire more women to join the Bolt driver community. 
As a result, the Women for Women ride type will become more widely available and affordable.

Requesting a ride safely

After ordering a ride, ensure you’re at the agreed-upon location. But use your judgement when picking a spot — somewhere a driver can clearly see you and safely pull over. 

We suggest you turn on Live Location Sharing to help your driver find your exact location.

If you need to contact a driver, use the Bolt app. This ensures your phone number remains hidden and all conversations are traceable.

Add an emergency contact

While waiting for your ride, set up Trusted Contacts to ensure someone can be reached if we’re unable to contact you in an emergency.

It’s an extra layer of safety that takes just a moment to add, providing peace of mind for you and your loved ones.

Double-check before you hop in

Throughout your request, you can see your driver’s photo, name, car make/model, and registration plate in the Bolt app. 

Why’s this important?

Riding with a verified driver improves your safety, as you can be sure they meet all the standards mentioned above.

So please check your driver’s face and registration plate match what’s shown in the app before entering the vehicle. And don’t be surprised if your driver wants to confirm your name and destination, too.

Don’t get into the car if the driver isn’t who they claim to be. Cancel the ride by selecting ‘Driver/car did not match the description’ as your reason, and contact Customer Support via the Bolt app.

Travelling with kids, pets, or extra luggage

Ask your driver to help secure large and/or heavy luggage items for maximum safety.

When travelling with young children, use an appropriate child seat that’s properly fastened.

And if you’re travelling with a pet, ensure they’re secured and not distracting the driver during a ride.

Buckle up!

And last but certainly not least, don’t forget about yourself! Ensure you wear a securely fastened seat belt, as required by law.

Safety during your journey

A number of Bolt’s features are always working behind the scenes to ensure you have a safe Bolt ride. For example, Safety Trip Monitoring. This detects if your vehicle hasn’t moved for an unusual amount of time and allows us to offer quick assistance. 

But before we delve deeper into the technology, let’s quickly go over the basics.

General safety guidelines

With ride-hailing, you may feel excited about getting to your destination comfortably and on time. But please fight the urge to stick your head or other limbs out of the car in celebration, and refrain from any activities that may distract the driver from the road. 

And finally, only exit the vehicle once it comes to a complete stop.

If you need help during a ride, you can access several safety features at the touch of a button via the in-app Safety Toolkit.

Safety Toolkit

You can open the Safety Toolkit by expanding the menu at the bottom of the active ride screen. You’ll find a range of safety features that are helpful in various scenarios.

The share ride details feature lets your loved ones know when you’ll be arriving. 

With a tap of a button, you can share a link to a real-time map showing exactly where you are and your arrival time. Your loved ones don’t need the Bolt app to use it — the map’s hosted on our website.

While your ride’s in progress, you’ll see the share ride details option in the Bolt app.

Audio trip recording allows you to record audio via the Bolt app during a ride. To share the recording with Bolt Customer Support, you must attach the encrypted file to an incident report within 24 hours.

Not only does audio trip recording help us solve potential disputes, but it also helps discourage inappropriate behaviour in the first place. 

Learn more about the feature from our blog post.

The emergency assist button lets you quickly and discreetly alert the local authorities. It also provides important details like your exact location and a vehicle’s details.

The features available in the Safety Toolkit vary by country. Learn more about the safety features available to you by visiting the Bolt rider safety page.

Safety after jour journey

Exit the car safely

Once you’ve arrived and the vehicle’s come to a complete stop, be cautious when opening car doors and exiting. It’s best to exit on the side that won’t put you in the path of oncoming traffic — even if it means you have to do an awkward scooch across the backseat.

And once you’ve exited, remember to take any belongings you may have stored in the boot! If you leave something in the car, contact our Customer Support as soon as possible.

Your feedback helps keep Bolt rides safe

After every Bolt ride, we’ll ask for your feedback. This is your chance to share your experience, thank the driver, or tell us how to improve. Don’t hesitate to share your honest opinion — your privacy is guaranteed.

We take your feedback seriously. In many countries, we never match you again with a driver you rated 1-star. We also block drivers from our platform who repeatedly receive low ratings or violate our Terms of Service.

Dedicated in-house Customer Support team

In the Bolt app’s Support section, you’ll find FAQs and other helpful articles on various rider-related topics. Should you need further help, our Support Team’s available 24/7 via the Bolt app.

Safety’s a 2-way street

Thank you for helping us keep our rides safe, and happy travels with Bolt!