Abstract
The total number of Korean restaurants using delivery applications has substantially increased from 7.6% in 2018 to 11.2% in 2019. In 2020, the gross sales in the food delivery service market reached approximately 17 trillion won; this amount is virtually six times that in 2017 (i.e., 2 trillion won). Meanwhile, the annual average death toll of motorcycle riders increased by 3.5%, whereas the number of deaths due to other traffic accidents decreased by 8.2%. Consequently, the foregoing has become a critical social problem. Despite the continuing increase in the number of delivery riders due to the rapid expansion of the delivery industry, no appropriate safety management system has been established. Moreover, the government is experiencing difficulties in assessing the exact situation because of the absence of competent authority. In this study, fundamental data on the characteristics of delivery work and motorcycle accidents were collected through surveys and interviews; then, the influencing factors of traffic accidents were analyzed. Different influencing factors were identified: work experience as a rider; number of deliveries; whether to accept delivery requests in transit; manner of accepting delivery requests; and traffic law violations, such as speeding (for faster delivery) and running a red light. Because the motorcycle delivery industry has a relatively low job-entry barrier (i.e., special qualifications are not required), the riding skills of riders must be improved, and delivery companies must be technically developed to achieve a safe working environment. The results of this study can be utilized as fundamental data for system development or structural improvement of the delivery industry.