Waze should introduce a feature that allows users to report unsafe or crime-prone roads—especially relevant in high-risk areas like South Africa. Based on personal experience, Waze has sometimes routed users through dangerous neighborhoods, which can be especially hazardous for tourists or those unfamiliar with the area.

This feature should allow users to flag roads where recent crime has occurred or where safety is a concern. These reports could be time-stamped and reviewed by the community, similar to how speed traps or traffic accidents are currently handled.

In addition, Waze should add a toggle in the app’s navigation settings—like those for avoiding tolls or highways—that allows users to automatically avoid high-risk areas when planning a route. This would give users more control over their journey and increase trust in the app’s routing, particularly in developing markets where safety concerns are a daily reality.

By helping users avoid dangerous routes through crowdsourced safety data, Waze can position itself as a truly adaptive and user-focused navigation tool.