Meal deliverers to get traffic training to reduce accidents

Eleven chains that offer meal delivery agreed to offer extensive traffic training to their deliverers, in an attempt to reduce the number of accidents involving delivery workers. Participants include Domino's Pizza, Febo, Spare Rib Express, and Taco Mundo. The services Thuisbezorgd, Deliveroo and Uber Eats have not yet signed up, NOS reports.

Last year there were 116 accidents involving meal deliverers in the Netherlands, according to figures from the Inspectorate for Social Affairs and Employment. In more than half of these accidents, the delivery person had to be taken to hospital with an ambulance. Safe traffic association Veilig Verkeer Nederland, the Dutch Association for Meal Deliverers, and insurance company De Vereende therefore joined forces to address this problem.

In addition to the traffic training courses, the parties also agreed that meal deliverers will from now on be paid per hour, instead of per delivery. They hope this will result in deliverers being less inclined to deliver orders as quickly as possible. The scooters and electric bicycles they use will also be well maintained and insured. And the number of accidents and extent of damage will be properly mapped to help with future policy making.

"The meal delivery entrepreneurs work with young road users who are among the highest risk groups in terms of road safety. It is important that entrepreneurs are aware of this and take the necessary steps to ensure the safety of their deliverers", a spokesperson for Veilig Verkeer Nederland said tot he broadcaster.