Effects of age and violations on occupational accidents among motorcyclists performing food delivery

1 Introduction

Because of the convenience in the congested traffic and the ease of parking in narrow streets, the use of motorcycles in commercial transportation has been rising in Asian Countries [1]. However, motorcyclists are especially vulnerable to injuries because of its small vehicular structures that offer poor protection, coupled with the high speeds they can acquire, and their difficulty to be seen in traffic [2–5]. Motorcyclists accounted for 12% of all traffic-related fatalities in the Americas [2], and motorcycle crashes accounted for more than 50% of the total number of traffic deaths in some Asian countries [1].

Motorcycle crashes are related to the age, lack of protection, riding speed [2–6], helmet wearing [4, 7], alcohol and other drug use [4, 8], licensure and ownership, inexperience, driver training [4, 9–10], risk-taking behaviors [11–13], and driving conditions or nature of the roads [1, 4].

Food delivery workers in the Korean Standard Classification of Occupations [14] refer to persons who deliver restaurant foods to the home. Some restaurants have offered home delivery services for many years. This traditionally involved receiving orders by telephone and then dispatching these orders by staff on motorcycles. Some pizza and chicken restaurants have based the majority of their business around in-house home delivery service provided by food delivery staff using motorcycles [1, 15]. In recent years, delivery specialists have taken the role of intermediaries between the restaurant and customer in the provision of home-delivered foods. They provide websites and mobile phone apps for ordering foods [15].

The motorcycle rider performing food delivery is a poorly paid job in South Korea. The motorcyclists usually work as temporary workers, and the majority of them work in small-sized firms with less than five employees [15]. A person aged 16 or older can acquire a motorcycle driver’s license under 125cc in South Korea. Because of low barriers to entry even for teenagers, the proportion of teenage workers is high. The motorcyclists performing food delivery must work in a wide range of temperature and humidity depending on the season. Although food delivery services often commence at lunchtime and continue throughout the day, the most significant period of food delivery activity takes place during the evening [15]. Weekend delivery is usually higher in demand than that on weekdays.

Development of preventive measures require a systematic analysis of occupational accidents. Risk factors for motorcycle crashes are associated with rider-related factors and crash-related factors. The analysis of human factors in traffic crashes usually reference the theory by Reason et al. [16], who analyzed the human errors of traffic crashes regarding mistakes, slips, lapses, and violations [17, 18]. Risk-taking behaviors among motorcycle riders may include speeding, alcohol and other drug use, not using a helmet while riding, unlicensed riding, running red lights, and driving the wrong lane [4, 16–18]. Delivery motorcyclists traditionally work under time pressure, and in poor and unsafe working conditions leading to a significant increase in rider’s violations or risk-taking behaviors [2]. However, there are only a few studies on the aspects of occupational motorcycle crashes caused by rider’s violations [2, 12]. This study used the occupational compensation records to investigate the characteristics of occupational crashes caused by motorcycle riders. The workers’ compensation records for work-related traffic crashes are based on police reports and drivers’ interview [15, 16, 19–21]. Thus, this study aims to investigate the characteristics of occupational crashes and work-related injuries of motorcyclists performing the food delivery. This study also examines the characteristics of motorcycle crashes caused by rider’s intentional violations.

2 Methods

3 Results

This study analyzed the characteristics of occupational crashes of motorcyclists performing motorcycle food delivery according to age or rider violations.

This study showed that 67.4% of injured riders were temporary workers, and 75.4% of injured riders had <3 months of work experience. The problems of frequent labor turnover and part-time or temporary employment are common in motorcycle riders performing food delivery [15]. It is difficult for new riders to recognize the hazards. As a part-time job or temporary job, new riders sometimes work without proper education or training on motorcycle safety [12, 19]. It is important to ensure that motorcyclists who work outdoors have access to safety information as well as training during regular working hours. Therefore, general safety training, as well as training on the use of a motorcycle, is essential to improve the novice rider’s health and safety.

In this study, 76.1% of injured riders worked in small companies with <5 employees. The delivery riders, working in small restaurants, may be more likely to be using a motorcycle that is old, poorly maintained, and lacking a protective structure [15]. Thus, they work in workplaces where the necessary protective devices are relatively insufficient.

This study found that the proportion of ‘fracture,’ ‘rider alone,’ or ‘death or disability’ accidents increased with age. Motorcycle riders work under time pressure, and require high speeds on congested or narrow streets. Older workers have a relatively poor sense of balance, perceptive ability and lack of judgment in the dark [23–24]. Increases in the number of deaths among the elderly may reflect their greater likelihood of serious complications and poorer prognosis after injury [25]. Also, because traffic crashes of older riders can cause serious injuries, it is necessary to develop means to motivate and train older workers.

Because of low barriers to entry even for teenagers, the proportion of teenage workers in delivery service is high in South Korea [15]. However, this study showed that 93.5% of teenage injured riders were temporary workers, 87.0% in companies with <5 employees, and 79.5% during the nighttime. That is, teenage injured riders worked under more severe working conditions. Younger workers are more likely to commit violations because of inattention, impulsiveness, overestimation of capacity and pride, recklessness, and lack of family responsibilities [23, 26]. Accordingly, the violation rate was highest in teens (17.4%) and decreased with age in this study. Also, the injuries on the ‘head/face/neck’ were common in the teenage group, and the proportion of the ‘head/face/neck’ injuries decreased with age. Furthermore, the proportion of ‘concussion/hemorrhage’ decreased with age. Thus, it is necessary to introduce appropriate support policies tailored to teen riders.

The results of this study also showed that the most common injured body part was the lower limbs (leg/feet), and the leading type of injury in all age groups was a fracture. Corresponding reports have also documented that the lower extremity was the most common site of an injury in all motorcycle crashes [27], and fractures were most frequent [28]. Protective clothes seem to reduce the risk of soft tissue injuries among motorcyclists. Heavy boots and work shoes are effective in protecting against ankle and foot injuries [4], and crash bars on motorcycles protect riders’ lower legs when impacted from the side [29]. Compared with helmeted riders, non-helmeted riders are at higher risk for severe head injuries of all types, as well as facial injuries and high-severity facial fractures [4]. Comprehensive helmet laws are significantly associated with an increase in helmet usage followed by declines in the total number of motorcycle deaths, head injuries, days of hospitalization [4]. A high proportion of motorcyclists incorrectly use motorcycle safety devices possibly due to inadequate education and lack of law enforcement; for example, about one-third of motorcyclists had their helmets fastened improperly or were wearing non-standard helmets [30]. It is necessary to have an adequate helmet law, and requirements for helmets to meet specific safety standards.

Finally, the results of this study align with the Haddon’s matrix for risk factors for motorcycle crash injuries [4]. Some risk factors such as age and nighttime cannot be directly modified to prevent motorcycle crash injuries. Their effects can be accounted for the riding hours as well as modifiable factors such as helmet wearing, inexperience and driver training, conspicuity of the motorcyclist, driving licensure, riding speed, and risk-taking behaviors. These modifiable factors have more relevance in developing and designing prevention programs [4]. In South Korea, there is no limit on consecutive driving hours per day and break time for the motorcycle riders performing food delivery [15, 20–21]. Thus, legislative frameworks will likely need to address issues going beyond protective gear use [15], driving hour limits [20–21] and motorcycle driver’s licensing procedures [4, 15] to include motorcycle industry responsibilities and occupational safety provisions for workers.

This study has some limitations: (1) minor accidents are not included in the analysis because we used compensation records, which is documented for > 4 days of absence from work; (2) the accident rates reported in this study show a lower frequency rate than those reported in traffic accident analysis; and (3) violation rates may be underestimated due to data set. Despite these limitations, the results of the present study illustrated the actual safety problems experienced in the food delivery industry of South Korea. The results of this study are expected to be useful for injury prevention policies and guidelines in the food delivery industries.

Conflict of interest

None to report.