Dubai: Home delivery customers in the UAE have made a strong case for greater safety of motorcycle delivery riders, saying a few minutes’ delay in the arrival of their deliveries makes no differenceto them.
Better be safe than sorry is the message that seems to have come out of a recent survey of home delivery users, conducted by Al Wathba Insurance and Road Safety. UAE.
According to the study, 80 per cent of delivery customers would have no problem ‘if the delivery arrives two minutes later than expected’ and 64 per cent would have no problem ‘if the delivery arrives five minutes later than expected’. The survey found 63 per cent of respondents using motorcycle food deliveries daily, multiple times or at least one time per week. Twenty per cent used them at least once per month, and only 17 per cent less than once a month or never.
Undue emphasis
“The entire eco-system – from aggregate brands, delivery fleet operators and riders to the end-use customers must take cognisance of these findings so there is no undue emphasis on the time push,” Thomas Edelmann, Founder of Road Safety UAE, told Gulf News.
He said it is extremely important that there is greater understanding about the issue to prevent road accidents involving delivery riders.
According to statistics released last year, Dubai Police recorded 77,227 traffic violations involving delivery motorcycles, up from 60,471 in 2023.
The number of fatalities in both years was 18.
Follow the rules
Across the emirates, the police regularly conduct campaigns to educate riders on the need to follow the rules and ensure road safety.
“We wanted to elevate the discussion about the behaviour of motorcycle riders with a fact-based approach … as the convenient delivery by motorcycle have become a part of our everyday life and we all can relate to it one way or another,” said Muralikrishnan Raman, Chief Financial Officer, Al Wathba Insurance.
Edelmann said customer perceptions in the survey are important, considering advertised delivery times of 15 minutes and media-quoted average delivery times of 28 minutes.
“Two-five minutes more time for delivery riders would mean a lot to them in terms of displaying a more safety-centric riding style. It is important for the well-known delivery brands and their riders to be aware of this. Sixty per cent of delivery customers even state that they ‘tell their rider to make sure he drives safely’, which is amazing”. he added.
According to the survey, the perception and behaviour of delivery customers towards their riders impacts their mindset. It found that 62 per cent of delivery customers tip their riders and offer them refreshments, especially during summer. Eight per cent were happy with the cleanliness of the delivery box and 71 per cent with the appearance of their rider.
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