Maxim has introduced a new SOS button for drivers, providing driver partners with additional ways to call for help and share their location during an emergency.
Maxim is a licensed e-hailing service that connects passengers with drivers through its mobile app, while also offering delivery services in selected cities. Maxim provides transport solutions while creating flexible earning opportunities for driver partners across the country
.
As safety remains one of the most pressing challenges facing e-hailing drivers across South Africa, with drivers increasingly exposed to risks such as hijackings, robberies, assaults and attacks while carrying out their daily work. Against this backdrop, Maxim is strengthening its commitment to driver safety by introducing measures designed to provide drivers with greater protection and faster access to assistance when they find themselves in danger.
The initiative forms part of Maxim’s broader focus on creating a safer e-hailing environment for both drivers and passengers, recognising that drivers spend long hours on the road and can be particularly vulnerable to criminal activity. Through in-app safety features and emergency support features, Maxim aims to ensure that help is more accessible when it matters most.
The new SOS feature gives drivers access to three options for requesting assistance directly through the Maxim app. The feature has been designed to make it easier for drivers to quickly alert emergency services, a trusted person or nearby members of the Maxim driver community, depending on the circumstances they are facing.
“The safety of our drivers is extremely important to us, particularly as e-hailing drivers continue to face risks while working on the road and there are growing concerns around drivers being targeted by criminals. The new SOS feature gives drivers another practical way to call for help and alert people around them when they find themselves in a difficult situation. By connecting them with emergency services, a trusted emergency contact and nearby drivers at the press of a button, we hope this feature will provide an additional layer of support and reassurance to those who spend their days on the road.” said Lesoli Lemphane, Head of Development at Maxim South Africa
When a driver activates the SOS function, they can choose to call 112, South Africa’s mobile emergency number, directly from their device; send an SOS message to an emergency contact such as a family member, partner or trusted friend; or send an SOS signal to nearby Maxim drivers. When the emergency-contact option is selected, the designated contact receives an SMS explaining that they have been listed as an emergency contact by the driver and that they are experiencing an emergency, together with a link allowing them to view the reported location on a map. If the nearby driver option is activated, Maxim drivers in the vicinity receive the SOS signal along with the driver’s location, allowing them to become aware that assistance may be required.
The introduction of the SOS feature adds another layer to the safety tools available to Maxim driver partners, giving them multiple channels through which they can seek assistance when they need it most.
For drivers who spend significant portions of their day on the road, having accessible safety tools can provide additional reassurance. The ability to quickly communicate an emergency and share a location can also help ensure that those who may be able to assist are alerted as soon as possible.
