Safe2Hail Forensic-Driven Post-Trip Tracking Framework for Ride-Hailing Safety in Africa

Jul 16, 2026

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Ride-hailing mobile apps are widely used in Africa, yet safety threats persist—especially after ride cancellation or premature termination. Safe2Hail proposes a forensic-driven post-trip tracking framework that delivers continuous safety and evidentiary certainty beyond the trip window. It combines forensic tracking with a temporary post-trip synchronization mechanism to securely log proximal data between passenger and driver after an event. A beta test validates effectiveness, feasibility, lightweight resource usage, and scalability for deployment.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages8

Reading Time20 min

Introduction

Context and Motivation

Problem Statement

Safe2Hail: A Forensic-Driven Post-Trip Tracking Framework for Ride-Hailing Safety in Africa Alvina Minja, Robert Maina, Mahmud Oloyede, Jema Ndibwile* College of Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University Africa, Kigali, Rwanda Email: {aminja, rmaina, moloyede, [jndibwil](jndibwil}@andrew.cmu.edu)[}](jndibwil}@andrew.cmu.edu)[@andrew.cmu.edu](jndibwil}@andrew.cmu.edu) *Corresponding author arXiv :2607 .0727 1v 1 [ cs .CR] 8 Jul 2026 Abstract—Ride-hailing mobile apps have become an essential feature in the mobility ecosystem in Africa, offering much safer and much more affordable rides. Although user bases have increased and the number of daily trips has proliferated, reports of imminent safety threats, particularly after the cancellation of the ride or the ride is prematurely terminated, remain unresolved challenges. Current safety measures offer features such as SOS alerts, safety notifications, and live location sharing for the duration of the trip, but they are not in place when the trip is over. Safe2Hail presents a framework that is forensically driven to ensure continuous safety and certainty beyond the trip. The Safe2Hail framework combines forensic tracking with a temporary post-trip synchronization mechanism that can securely log all proximal data between a passenger and a driver after an event. The Safe2Hail framework was beta-tested and demonstrates the effectiveness of the system. Although the research team did not pilot on actual deployment, the Safe2Hail design format was in part inspired by actual crime events reported in Nairobi and Dar-es-Salaam. The findings of the study referenced Safe2Hail’s feasibility, light weight nature of resources, as well as thescalability for the framework. Index Terms—Ride hailing; E-Sharing; Mobility-as-a-service; Smart mobility; Transportation Network Companies (TNCs). I. INTRODUCTION Ride-hailing services have become essential in contemporary African cities by altering transportation habits, work patterns, and the way we share transportation. However, such rapid digitization has led to complicated safety and accountability problems that exceed the traditional scope of monitoring the trip itself. This section describes the contextual background behind the study to situate these problems and the proposed intervention, identifies the central problem being addressed by the intervention, and summarizes the contributions of these research findings. A. Context and Motivation The ride-hailing industry has, since its inception, offered convenience in the transport industry, growing rapidly daily, especially in urban cities. The Middle East & Africa Ride Hailing market size is expected to reach USD 9,992 Million by 2033 [1] . This growth is attributed not only to its convenience but the job offers that come along with it, and the need for safe travel. This sector was valued at $345 million in 2023, employing over 93,000 workers across 23 companies, with an adoption rate of 46%[2] . Some of the key players in the market include Uber, Bolt (Taxify), and inDrive, which also operate in our countries of interest, Tanzania and Kenya. But while the need for this service grows, so do its safety risks. The sector faces persistent challenges, particularly regarding user safety and security. Security concerns have become a critical factor in the adoption and reliability of ride-hailing services. A study conducted by Deutsche Gesellschaft f u¨r Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) revealed that users prioritized security and safety (78%) and comfort (70%) as decisive factors in their transportation choices [3] . Recent studies on ride-hailing safety in East Africa reveal recurring incidents of robbery, abduction, and sexual harassment, particularly among urban riders in Nairobi and Dar es Salaam. These safety concerns have led some companies to withdraw services from high-risk areas, further highlighting the urgent need for improved security measures [3][4] . Although several in

FAQs

What safety gap does Safe2Hail address in ride-hailing apps?

Safe2Hail targets safety threats that occur when a trip is canceled or ends prematurely, a period when existing protections like SOS alerts and live location sharing are no longer available.

How does the Safe2Hail framework work after a trip ends?

It uses forensic tracking plus a temporary post-trip synchronization mechanism to securely log proximal data between the passenger and driver after an event.

What evidence is provided to support Safe2Hail’s effectiveness?

The system is beta-tested, showing effectiveness along with feasibility, lightweight resource requirements, and scalability, even though the team did not run a real deployment pilot.

Jul 16, 2026

Upload by Quinn