The Courier Rights Association (Kurye Hakları Derneği) has published a report on motorcycle courier deaths in Turkey in 2025. The document indicates that at least 44 people working as motorcycle couriers lost their lives while on the job. The authors emphasize that the use of the phrase “at least” stems from the lack of an official, transparent system for recording accidents at work for couriers. Although the number of victims is lower than in 2024 (63 deaths), the organization cautions against interpreting this as an improvement in safety, pointing to the persistent lack of supervision and the high level of informal work.
The vast majority of the victims were under 28 years of age, including four minors – child laborers. Half of the fatal accidents involved people employed through delivery platforms. The report raises alarm bells regarding the “courier-entrepreneur” (esnaf-kurye) model, which effectively shifts responsibility for safety from companies to employees.
This year’s report places particular emphasis on the problem of occupational illnesses, which often remain invisible in accident statistics. Long working hours, constant time pressure (resulting from app algorithms), air pollution, and chronic stress lead to serious physical and mental health problems. These illnesses are rarely recognized as work-related, leaving couriers deprived of their rights and medical support, battling not only road hazards but also a devastating operating system.
In conclusion, the Courier Rights Association calls on the authorities to take immediate action to protect the lives of workers. Key demands include including the courier profession in the category of “very high-risk” jobs, introducing strict controls over algorithms that force rushing, and ensuring full transparency of data related to the sector. The organization emphasizes that each victim is not just a statistic, but a life cut short, and the only way to remedy the situation is systemic reform and effective enforcement of safety regulations.
We would like to remind you that in Poland, there is no official profession of courier, let alone bicycle or motorcycle courier.
The full report is available here
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