Uber Eats rolls out new safety initiatives for delivery people

At a recent event, Uber Eats reaffirmed its commitment to the safety of delivery people with two new initiatives.

As part of this, Big Boy Fourways, have agreed to provide delivery people with helmets at a 50% discounted rate. “Our relationship with delivery people is of the utmost importance,” says Charles Mhango, Head of Operations, Uber Eats for Sub Saharan Africa. 

“Safety is at the heart of what we do as an organisation, and we actively engage delivery people through roundtable discussions to ensure we’re establishing new partnerships that make a positive impact to them. We understand that gig work is an important step towards self-empowerment and creating a better future. That’s why we are working hard to promote safety on our platform and beyond.”

Conrad Botha, Big Boy Fourways says that it is hoped that delivery people will make use of this promotion to update their helmets. “Manufacturers recommend that helmets are replaced every two to four years, as materials like glue and resin can deteriorate,” Botha notes. “Helmets should also be replaced if they do not fit properly, or if they are damaged (for example, if the outer shell is cracked or splitting, or if there are cracks or soft spots inside). It’s also important to get a new helmet if a pressure point has been knocked, as it will no longer provide adequate protection, especially in that area,” he adds.

Conrad further highlights that helmets are a non-negotiable part of road safety: not only is the use of a helmet while driving a motorbike enforced by law but wearing a helmet can possibly prevent head injuries, and even death, in case of an accident. 

Furthermore, Uber Eats has launched innovative safety features on the Uber Eats App which encourages delivery people to wear a helmet before they set off for daily deliveries and discourages delivery people from using their phones while driving. 

These innovations are in addition to other safety features that have been included in the app, such as RideCheck, a technology that detects unusual activity, Emergency Contacts and Emergency Button, which dispatches private security to the delivery person in the event of an incident. Partner Injury Protection is also provided by AIG Insurance to help support delivery people with the costs associated with injury while on trip.