Factors influencing road safety compliance among food delivery riders: An extension of the job demands-resources (JD-R) model

On-demand food delivery involves transport services based on gig-economy models. Food delivery services rely on motorcycles in many jurisdictions, resulting in safety risks. Motorcycles are generally-two-wheeled and therefore inherently unstable. They also lack rider restraint or roll cage to minimise the consequences of a collision. Given the risks of motorcycle food delivery, there is a need to understand how job design may influence safety behaviour on the roads and regulate this economic activity to minimise potential harmful health consequences on the riders. This study investigated the impact of job demands and resources on food delivery riders' compliance with road safety regulations. The job demands-resources (JD–R) model was used as the theoretical framework for this research. Data were collected using a cross-sectional design involving 550 motorcycle delivery riders in two megacities in Vietnam. A structural equation analysis indicated that job demands (e.g., time pressure, work/life imbalance, working environment) and job resources (e.g., social support, feedback) influence, directly and indirectly, job strain, risk-taking attitude, and road safety compliance. Control variables such as age, gender, and income also influenced road safety compliance. This study has critical implications for the food delivery industry that can help achieve sustainable development goals in the global south.