Gig Economy Pressures Make Drivers 'More Likely To Crash' (bbc.com)

Drivers and couriers who get their work from apps face a "heightened risk" of crashes, a study suggests. From a report: Research from University College London (UCL) indicated 42% of "gig-economy" couriers and taxi drivers reported vehicle damage because of a collision. Close to half admitted time pressure could make them break the speed limit. Distraction by smartphones and tiredness from overwork were also flagged as risks for those delivering food and parcels. The report draws on 200 responses to an online survey from drivers and couriers, as well as 48 in-depth interviews. The study does not focus on any one particular company, although Uber and Deliveroo are both named as examples of companies that enable gig-economy work -- where employees are not paid a salary but instead get money for each job completed. Of those surveyed, 63% said they had not been provided with safety training on managing risks on the road, while one in 10 reported someone had been injured in a crash while they had been working.

Comments

same triangle.

[fish_in_the_c]

Low Cost - quality - safety.

Pick a dot in the triangle you like best. The further you move towards low cost trough lack of regulation you decrease quality or safety.

In interesting solution would be if the apps started fining those they are paying if they were speeding. probably wont' happen unless a lot of people die.

Re:same triangle.

[zlives]

that would make them responsible for the drivers actions. this whole sham can exist because of a lack of responsibility.

They drive more

[hawguy]

42% of "gig-economy" couriers and taxi drivers reported vehicle damage because of a collision

How does that compare to the general public? how about when corrected per vehicle mile/hour?

Of course an Uber or Taxi driver is going to be more likely to get into a collision since they drive more. I drive 20 minutes in the morning and evening on familiar routes that I've driven hundreds of times before. I deliberately avoid congested downtown areas when I drive, choosing off-peak times to drive downtown whenever possible.

A car-share driver is in the car all day long, called out to areas throughout the city and beyond in areas were he may have never been, and his busiest time is also the most congested time, he can't change his work hours to avoid congestion since that's exactly the times his customers most want to travel.

Academia

[DarkOx]

Where we do studies to learn things that became obvious thru pizza deliver in the 1970s!