Accident Risk for Taxi and Private Hire Car Drivers as a Result of Distance Travelled and Driver Fatigue

Written Reply to Parliamentary Question

Dr Charlene Chen asked the Acting Minister for Transport

a.           whether the Ministry has assessed the accident risk for (i) taxi and private hire car drivers (ii) delivery riders based on exposure metrics such as distance travelled; and

b. how fatigue awareness and management are incorporated into vocational licensing and rider training frameworks to support their safety and wellbeing.

Reply by Acting Minister for Transport Jeffrey Siow:

1.           We do not assess accident risk based purely on exposure metrics like distance travelled. Instead, we assess accident risk holistically, and the Ministry of Transport (MOT) and the Ministry of Manpower (MOM) work closely with platform providers to improve the workplace safety of drivers and delivery riders.

2.           For instance, taxi and private hire car drivers undergo training on occupational health hazards, including fatigue awareness and management, as part of their Vocational Licence course. Platform companies must also ensure their taxi and private hire car drivers, and delivery riders using active mobility devices on public paths have adequate third-party liability insurance coverage during the course of their work.