Delivery drivers are more concerned about distracted pedestrians than other road users
According to new research, ‘distracted pedestrians’ are the number one road safety concern among the fast-growing courier and delivery driver community - especially as pedestrians are the top-ranked group under the new Highway Code’s hierarchy of road users.
Nearly a third of delivery drivers (30%) said distracted pedestrians were what made them feel most unsafe while driving or cycling for deliveries, compared to 25% who cited heavy traffic.
One in five (20%) said bikes and motorbikes were the main concern, while only 15% said cars and vans and only 10% said they were most worried about trucks.
The survey of more than 200 UK delivery drivers was carried out by same-day delivery business Gophr. With government data for 2020 showing that pedestrian fatalities were second only to car occupants when it comes to road deaths, it highlights that pedestrian safety is a major concern for road users.
Seb Robert, CEO of Gophr, said, “Road safety is a major concern for the home delivery sector, as there are more delivery drivers than ever driving and cycling around the country. Couriers and delivery staff have had city roads practically to themselves for the past couple of years, but that’s all changed and traffic has returned - and so have people in town centres.
“With pedestrians also now top of the hierarchy when it comes to road users, those people need to be sure they’re not distracted while they’re crossing the road. Pedestrian safety is paramount, but they have to do their part.”