Fatal Motorcycle Accident Prompts Investigations By Food Delivery Companies

Following a tragic incident on Sydney’s roads, food delivery companies are urgently probing whether a motorcyclist who lost his life in a road collision in St Peters, was a gig worker. 

The road collision between a motorcycle and a car occurred in St Peters in inner-west Sydney. The 30-year-old was treated by paramedics but succumbed to his injuries at the scene. 

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The driver of the car, a 46-year-old, was taken to Royal Alfred Hospital for mandatory testing.

Police would not confirm whether the motorcyclist was a gig worker.

DoorDash’s general manager, Rebecca Burrows, conveyed to a parliamentary inquiry that the company was actively investigating to ascertain whether the rider was associated with their platform. 

“I would like to acknowledge that we are aware of a tragic traffic accident last night reportedly involving a delivery worker,” she said. “We are also urgently investigating whether this accident involved a dasher. At this stage, we cannot confirm whether this incident involved a dasher on our platform.”

Uber, another prominent food delivery service, also confirmed its investigation into the rider’s potential connection to Uber Eats.

Kasey Tomkins, the Unions ACT secretary, has highlighted the life-threatening nature of gig work, urging the industry to address safety concerns.

“I’d just like to bring to the attention of the senators that in the last 24 hours, another driver lost their life,” she said.

“This goes beyond your basic rights. This is a human right. If you are forced to rush to make a delivery and you weigh up risking deactivation and losing the ability to pay your bills, if you weigh that up against your own safety, your own life and the lives of those on the road, then that is something that should not be happening in our country.”

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