This holiday season, the shared mobility platform Bolt is enhancing its alcohol test functionality for sharing e-scooters and bikes to ensure safer urban mobility during the end-of-year period across Belgium.
Now is a time for celebration but the period is often also marked by an increase in alcohol-related incidents. Now, Bolt is extending the alcohol lock on its vehicles: normally in place between 19:00 and 05:00, it will be in place between 17:00 and 07:00 during the festive period.
"Extending our cognitive test during the holiday season reflects our absolute priority: safety. We recognise that this festive period brings moments of joy but it must also remain safe for everyone on the road," Jennifer Heaysman, Head of Micromobility Operations at Bolt Belgium, said in a press release.
13% failure rate
The cognitive test, integrated into the Bolt app, measures users' reaction times before allowing them to unlock a scooter or bike. If the user fails the test, the app suggests safe alternatives, such as booking a taxi via Bolt, ensuring that everyone can get home safely.
Since its launch two years ago, the failure rate of this function dropped from 29% to 13%, reflecting a growing awareness among users of the dangers of riding under the influence of alcohol.
Already in place for two years, this cognitive test will be extended to every day from 24 December to 1 January, between 17:00 and 07:00 in the cities of Brussels, Namur, Liège, Charleroi, Dinant, and Ghent.
