Employers sometimes like to incentivize their staff with money. They feel they can get more value for their dollar this way. There are different ways of doing this. Some opt for bonuses if an employee meets a certain target, while others choose to forgo a fixed salary and pay their workers by the amount of work they do.
While there are pros and cons to this, in some industries, incentivizing workers to do more can be a safety issue. One of those industries is the delivery business, be it semi-trucks delivering to stores and warehouses, white vans delivering online goods to homes, or moped riders delivering pizza to hungry customers.
Drivers need rest
If drivers can earn more by doing more, it may encourage them to skip the rest breaks they should take to stay safe. They may take extra shifts when they are already shattered. Fatigue is a leading cause of crashes.
Drivers need to drive at an appropriate speed for the conditions
If a driver knows that slowing down will lower their earnings, they may push on despite dangerous weather or road conditions, such as snow or standing water. They may also be tempted to travel over the legal limit to make up time lost in heavy traffic or simply because they want to fit more in and boost their earnings.
Penalties can also be dangerous
Penalizing drivers for failing to meet targets (rather than giving them extra for surpassing targets) is also problematic, as drivers may take risks to ensure they are not penalized.
If an incentivized driver causes a crash, the cost will far outweigh the benefits they or their employer hoped to gain via the incentive system. Anyone they injure may want to investigate whether they can hold the driver and the company responsible for compensation.