Ride Brave

Traveling alone as a woman can often feel daunting due to safety concerns that frequently deter females and their families from allowing solo journeys. Many women, including myself, have experienced discomfort while traveling—whether through unwanted attention or unsettling encounters—making it difficult to enjoy the experience fully. Friends have shared similar concerns, with many facing parental restrictions on solo travel, not because of a lack of capability but due to safety risks.

While these precautions stem from care and concern, they can unintentionally limit freedom, making solo travel feel more like a challenge than an adventure. Recognizing this gap in safety and empowerment, I envisioned an app that leverages technology to protect and empower women during train travel, ensuring that safety concerns no longer stand in the way of exploration.

The ideation process began with extensive research on safety concerns faced by solo female travelers. Through conversations, surveys, and case studies, I identified key fears and risks, such as:

Unwanted attention from strangers

Lack of immediate access to help in case of discomfort

Inability to share real-time location with trusted contacts

Hesitation in asking co-passengers for support due to social concerns

While numerous safety apps exist, most focus on post-incident reporting rather than proactive safety measures. Additionally, general travel apps lack features specifically designed to address the unique safety challenges women face while traveling alone by train.

This research shaped the core mission of the project: to make travel a joyful and secure experience rather than a stressful one.

The foundation of this app was built on seamless user experience and quick access to safety tools. Given the high-pressure nature of unsafe situations, I prioritized an intuitive and minimal interaction flow, ensuring that users can get help within seconds.

During the wireframing stage, I outlined essential features that directly address the core safety concerns:

Onboarding & Trusted Contacts: Users can register and add trusted contacts who will receive alerts during their journey.

Real-Time Travel Safety Mode: Once activated, this mode continuously monitors the user’s journey, sending location updates to trusted contacts and allowing users to check nearby safe zones.

Instant SOS Alerts & Community Support: With a single tap, users can send an SOS alert to their emergency contacts and nearby verified female travelers, ensuring rapid assistance in uncomfortable situations.

Safe Companionship Feature: This allows users to connect with fellow female travelers on the same train or find other verified women in the same coach for shared safety and companionship.

Safety and Wellness Tracking: Users can log their travel experiences, track how safe they felt on different routes, and monitor their emotional well-being during trips.

As I progressed through the design phase, I realized that a panic button alone was not enough. The app needed to be proactive rather than reactive—offering prevention mechanisms alongside emergency support. This led to the Safe Companionship feature, allowing women to feel less alone during their journey.

With every iteration, the design evolved to include AI-driven safety recommendations, such as highlighting safer seats, alerting users about suspicious areas, and offering predictive safety tips based on past traveler experiences.

This project taught me the importance of designing for real-world impact, especially for issues as critical as women’s safety. Beyond simply building an app, it became about creating a community where women feel supported and protected during travel.

One of the most significant lessons I learned was the importance of iteration. The initial design focused primarily on emergency support, but with feedback and testing, it transformed into a proactive safety ecosystem that empowers users before, during, and after their journey.

With each update, the app’s goal remains the same: to ensure that women can travel alone without fear, transforming journeys into experiences of confidence rather than anxiety.

This project reaffirmed my belief in technology as a tool for empowerment—a stepping stone toward a future where safety concerns no longer limit the freedom of women to explore the world on their own terms. View the complete project at :- https://ishikadixit.framer.website/case-study-ride-brave