An assessment of the safety of drivers in the e-hailing taxi industry (South Africa)

Abstract

This article explores the safety of drivers in the e-hailing industry in the light of criminal activities, regulatory challenges, and potential preventative measures. Between 2020 and 2024, the number of assaults, robberies, car hijackings, instances of malicious damage to property, and murder has risen considerably. The key safety risks of the these crimes includes armed violent attacks. E- Hailing taxis face safety risks like route deviations and potential assaults. The lack of real-time tracking transparency and driver vetting can heighten risks, especially at night or in isolated areas. Driver’s faces risk robbery, assault or disputes over fares. Inadequate safety features in apps and poor passenger screening contribute to these risks. Implementing tech security measures boosts e-hailing safety. Recommendations includes, driver and passenger verification (biometrics or ID checks), real-time GPS tracking with route sharing, in-app emergency SOS buttons linked to authorities and AI-driven driver behaviour monitoring. In South Africa, the e-hailing industry is regulated by the National Land Transport Act. A qualitative research approach was adopted and a systematic literature review was conducted to collect the data. The purpose of this study is to examine the safety concerns of drivers in the e-hailing industry. Drivers face several safety risks such as assault, robbery, hijacking and malicious damage to property, even murder. The key recommendation of this article is that the e-hailing industry enhance its security measures to ensure the safety and well-being of its drivers. With this article, the authors hope to add to the scientific literature on the phenomenon under investigation. The article finds that e-hailing management has neglected the safety of drivers by failing to provide them with technological device such as dashboard cameras. In addition, e-hailing drivers have not been trained in safety and security.

Keywords: {'name': 'E-hailing, safety, security, taxi industry, technology, Crime prevention'}

Authors & affiliations

M. Given Makola
University of South Africa

R J Mokwena
University of South Africa

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