Road Safety Authority Demands Immediate Shutdown of Wolt Operations
Israel's National Road Safety Authority filed an unprecedented police complaint demanding the immediate shutdown of delivery giant Wolt, citing reckless riding and a 40% surge in severe accidents involving couriers.
The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has launched an unprecedented crackdown on delivery giant Wolt, filing an official complaint with the Israel Police demanding an immediate administrative shutdown of the company's operations in the country. The complaint, addressed to Traffic Division Head Deputy Commissioner Haim Shmueli, also calls for legal proceedings against Wolt Israel CEO Tomer Cohen over repeated traffic regulation violations.
Scale of Operations and Core Grievances
Wolt currently operates a network of approximately 20,000 couriers across some 400 localities, serving 12,000 businesses and over 3 million users. According to the NRSA, the company's business model relies on independent contractors compensated per delivery, which fosters a reckless race against the clock to deliver hot meals at high speeds. The authority argues that while Wolt generates massive profits from public space operations, it disclaims supervisory responsibility for rider fitness and vehicle safety.
Mounting Safety Concerns and Statistics
An in-depth NRSA review of hundreds of thousands of emergency dispatch calls revealed that roughly 40 distress calls explicitly mentioning Wolt are received every month, citing red-light running, sidewalk riding, and severe pedestrian endangerment. These figures coincide with a more than 40% surge in severe accidents between light electric vehicles and pedestrians, resulting in hundreds of injuries and dozens of fatalities.
The NRSA urges the adoption of strict global regulations, such as New York's model, which mandates safety equipment, visible identification, and full fleet liability, alongside calls for vehicle confiscations and sanctions against illegal motor-tuning workshops. Wolt responded by stating that the NRSA has turned courier safety into a public relations campaign to rehabilitate its own image, emphasizing that Wolt invests heavily in road safety. NRSA Director General Gilad Cohen retorted that public relations statements are no substitute for real accountability and tangible results.
