Reckless driving incidents fall by 38% across Africa
Yango Namibia is highlighting its continued commitment to safety and responsible mobility following the release of the Yango Ride 2024–2025 Safety Report, which records a 38% reduction in reported reckless driving. For passengers, safety is not only about getting from one destination to another. It also involves knowing who is providing the ride, having access to support when something goes wrong, protecting personal information and ensuring that unsafe driving behaviour is identified and addressed. For drivers, it means operating within a system that promotes responsible driving and provides mechanisms for accountability and support.
The findings from Yango’s African operations provide an indication of how technology can be used to address some of these concerns. The report attributes the reduction in reckless driving incidents to measures including updated driving-style analysis and speed-control systems. Other markets also recorded significant reductions, including 35% in Côte d’Ivoire, 49% in Zambia, 34% in Angola and 33% in Senegal. These figures are not Namibia-specific statistics, but they demonstrate the broader safety approach being applied across Yango’s African markets and the role that technology can play in promoting safer mobility. For Yango Namibia, the principles behind these measures are relevant to the local mobility environment, where passengers and drivers increasingly expect convenience to be matched by safety, accountability and reliable support.
Before a ride begins, Yango’s safety framework includes identity and document verification measures designed to help establish who can access the platform. These include driver’s licence checks, recurring selfie controls and anti-fraud systems. Such measures are intended to provide an additional layer of confidence for passengers while supporting greater accountability among drivers using the platform. Safety continues throughout the journey. Through the Safety Center, passengers and drivers can share trip details with trusted contacts, access urgent support in the event of a conflict and use an SOS button to contact local emergency services. Yango also uses driving-style analysis and GPS speed monitoring to identify repeated unsafe behaviour. Depending on the circumstances, intervention can include warnings or removal from the platform.
Privacy is another important part of the ride experience. Yango’s in-app calling system allows passengers and drivers to communicate without having to exchange personal telephone numbers. According to the report, the introduction of privacy-protecting call technologies was followed by reductions in post-trip contact complaints in several African markets, including 11% in Côte d’Ivoire, 22% in Angola, 8% in Senegal and 4% in Zambia.
For Namibians using ride-hailing services, protecting personal information can be just as important as physical safety. Keeping communication within the platform can help reduce unnecessary sharing of personal contact details and provide greater accountability around interactions between passengers and drivers.
Support does not end when the technology identifies an urgent situation. Yango Ride provides 24/7 urgent support across its markets, with trained specialists responsible for reviewing circumstances and determining appropriate responses. The report states that in 90% of urgent cases globally, a trained specialist targets making first contact within five minutes. This combination of technology and human intervention is intended to provide users with an additional layer of assistance when urgent situations arise. Yango’s safety approach also extends beyond individual rides through cooperation with public institutions, road safety organisations and local communities. Across Africa, these partnerships have included initiatives focused on incident response and road safety education, demonstrating that safer mobility requires more than technology alone.
Commenting on the report, Roman Karlash, Chief Executive of Yango Ride, said: “A 38% reduction in reckless driving incidents across Africa didnt come from one feature orb one market solution, it's the product of technology applied consistently, combined with the expertise and local knowledge our teams bring in each country.”
For Yango Namibia, the report reinforces the importance of building a ride-hailing experience where safety, responsible driving, privacy and accessible support are part of the journey not an afterthought. As Namibia’s mobility landscape continues to evolve, Yango Namibia remains committed to applying technology and responsible mobility practices to help create a safer and more accountable experience for passengers and drivers.
