Smart new SafeWalk app will link lone walkers with their friends and families

A new initiative to improve safety for anyone forced to walk alone, especially at night, is being rolled out across the country.

SafeWalk is a free app that allows people to share details of their movements with friends or family in real-time and includes an inbuilt SOS button to summon help immediately if something goes wrong.

The easy to use app, which can be downloaded has been devised by Dr Mostafa Moghisi and veteran taxi boss Gavin Johnston in response to the nationwide shortage of cab drivers which has forced many people to walk home alone at night.

“Since the pandemic there is a massive problem with a shortage of drivers resulting in serious safety issues, especially at weekends and nights,” said Gavin, who has more than 30 years experience running a fleet of cabs in Inverness and Aberdeen.

“There’s a shortage of around 170,000 of taxi drivers across the UK, forcing taxi companies to let people down. With no cars available, and recent problems with public transport, a lot of people have had to find other ways to get home, even if it means walking alone in the dark or accepting lifts from strangers.”

The app allows users to enter a destination, time of departure and share details of their route with contacts in their smartphone directory, who can watch the journey on a map in real-time. Should the user deviate from the planned path, stop in one place for too long or fail to reach their destination within the estimated time of arrival all the selected contacts are immediately alerted that something is wrong, and given that person’s precise location.

There is an SOS button so if anyone feels threatened or thinks they are being followed they can send an alert to their contacts to summon immediate help.

Research carried out by Stop Violence Against Women found 50 per cent of women in the UK felt unsafe walking alone after dark, even in a busy public place, and 29 per cent complained of having felt like they were being followed.

The same research also found that as many as one in five men felt unsafe on the streets alone at night and that disabled people felt less safe walking alone in all settings compared to non-disabled.

The research was carried out in the wake of increased public anger about violence against women and girls following the murders of Sarah Everard, Bibaa Henry, Nicole Smallman and others.

Dr. Mostafa who has been writing logistical programs for the taxi industry for over 30 years said he could see SafeWalk being of interest to lots of people, and not just those who can’t get a taxi.

“It could be used by dog walkers, cyclists, joggers or anyone who feels uneasy at being out and about on their own, whether at night or during the day,” said Dr Mostafa, who is based in Loughborough, Leicestershire.

“We’ve even had parents who like the idea of using the app as an added safety measure for their children walking home from school or an activity.”