One of the main gigs almost anybody can get in the gig economy is driving. Companies such as Uber and Deliveroo will hire you.
You can easily make a full time or part time income with these kind of companies but at what cost? According to ROSPA the very notion of a gig worker driver is just downright dangerous
According to a recent survey by ROSPA (Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents), most of these drivers working in the gig economy do not have the proper safety training.
64% to be exact. Yes, they might have passed their driving test, but they have not completed the proper safety tests.
Does this put everybody at risk? In the eyes of ROSPA…it does!
They also found that 65% of gig worker drivers did not have any kind of safety equipment in their vehicles while on the job. Nothing. Zilch. Nada. Nothing.
Not only that, but they also highlighted the fact that many gig economy drivers are constantly distracted by mobile phones and apps going off all the time. Combine this with the time pressure which many drivers have on a daily basis, and you have a recipe for disaster.
Every year in the UK around 25% to 35% of causalities on the roads are work related. For example, in 2016 there was 529 deaths and 5269 serious injuries.
A spokesperson for ROSPA had this to say – “This demonstrates the need, more than ever, for all employers to develop a systematic approach to managing occupational road risk that is appropriate to their business.”
My opinion? I think ROSPA might just have a point here. Sure, a driving license is all you need to become a courier driver or taxi driver, but when you add certain factors into the mix then driving safely becomes more difficult.
For example, an Uber driver is constantly distracted with new orders coming through on their system. Even if it takes their attention away from the road for a few seconds…it is those few seconds where an accident can happen.
So more needs to be done in the area of driver safety training if you ask me, although there is doubts if anything will be done.
Not only that, but Unions have recently warned that victims of road traffic accidents will find it more difficult to claim compensation in the future.
Why? Because changes are coming into force from the year 2020, which basically means for smaller road traffic claims under £5000 then victims won’t be able to get their legal costs back.
I think the government need to take a look at this and work something out because it doesn’t sound right.
