Distracted Gig Economy Drivers Mean More Accidents

The Gig Economy’s Hidden Risk on U.S. Roads

The rise of the gig economy has reshaped the U.S. workforce. Millions of drivers power food delivery, parcel shipments, and rideshare services every day. By 2024, the U.S. online food delivery market alone was worth $353.3 billion, with grocery delivery contributing $257 billion.

But with this explosive growth comes a cost. 1.5 million traditional delivery drivers share U.S. roads with millions more gig drivers – 870,000 in California alone. This surge in traffic has meant more crashes, with distracted driving emerging as a leading cause.

The Growing Danger of Distracted Drivers

Data confirms just how widespread distraction has become:

• 93% of drivers admit to being distracted behind the wheel.

• 76% of drivers are often distracted by personal mobile devices.

• 31% of police-reported crashes involve inattention, equal to 1.7 million collisions annually.

A Samsara 2022 survey of 1,500 commercial drivers showed:

• 74% use mobile devices for work tasks while driving.

• 79% experienced near-miss crashes due to distraction.

• 60% changed habits after reviewing dashcam footage of their own distracted driving.

Drivers identified simple solutions:

• Improved in-cab routing (43%)

• Fewer work-related calls/messages (44%)

• Better training (95% said training improved their driving habits)

As J&Y Law Co-Founder Yosi Yahoudai stresses:

“Over the years, I’ve represented far too many families devastated by crashes that never should have happened. When gig drivers are pushed to juggle apps, deadlines, and GPS instructions while exhausted, it’s a recipe for disaster. We cannot let profit outrun safety.”

Co-Founder Jason Javaheri adds:

“We’ve normalized distracted driving as part of gig culture. When multitasking becomes part of the job description, it’s only a matter of time before someone gets hurt.”

Amazon’s Safety Problem

Amazon dominates the U.S. delivery landscape, but its safety record raises concern:

• 60+ fatal crashes linked to Amazon contractors in five years.

• FMCSA violations tied to unsafe driving and poor maintenance.

• Contractors with “out of service” rates up to 4x above the national average.

• CBS reported Amazon’s unsafe driving rate was 89% higher than competitors.

While Amazon claims new technology has reduced unsafe driving behaviors by 62%, critics say the company’s rapid growth has outpaced its safety oversight.

Gig Driver Workload and Fatigue

Excessive workloads add to distraction risks:

• Amazon Flex driver hours rose 20.4% (2023–2024).

• Lyft drivers saw a 5.4% drop in hours but higher trip density.

• Uber drivers worked 0.8% longer hours despite lower pay.

• Parcel delivery drivers’ workload spiked 55.5% in 2024.

According to Human Rights Watch, over one-third of gig drivers report accidents on the job, and 25% suffer physical injuries from prolonged shifts.

Rideshare-Specific Crash Risks

• Rideshare drivers account for 1.5% of all U.S. traffic collisions annually.

• 66% of rideshare crashes involve distraction.

• Accident risk for rideshare drivers is 2.5x higher than traditional drivers.

• Between 2019 and 2022, rideshare-related incidents rose 15%, with 10% of all U.S. traffic fatalities involving rideshare vehicles.

Where Distracted Driving is Worst

The most distracted states (per Samsara dash cam data):
Arizona, New Jersey, California, Nevada, Hawaii, Texas, Florida, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Massachusetts.

The least distracted states:
Alaska, Idaho, Minnesota, West Virginia, Maine, Iowa, New Hampshire, Vermont, Kentucky, Wisconsin.

States with the highest distracted driver fatalities (2023):

• Texas – 366

• Florida – 253

• Louisiana – 227

• New Jersey – 165

• New Mexico – 149

The Gig Economy is Here to Stay

The financial contribution of gig work is undeniable:

• In California, gig platforms contribute $38B annually.

• Nationally, 7.3M workers complete 4.3B app-based transactions, fueling a $212B economic impact.

With growth guaranteed, safety reforms are urgent.

What Needs to Change

Experts point to several urgent solutions:

• Install low-cost safety tech in delivery vans.

• Provide simplified routing and communication systems.

• Enforce reasonable shift lengths.

• Hold corporations accountable for contractor oversight.

As Yosi concludes:

“This isn’t about blaming hardworking drivers. It’s about holding billion-dollar companies accountable. If Amazon can afford next-day shipping, it can afford safe driving protocols.”

Jason reinforces:

“This is a leadership problem, not an employee problem. Real leaders protect people before the damage is done.”