Relationships between Body Mass Index and Self-Reported Motorcycle Crashes in Vietnam

The relationship between overweight, obesity, or body mass index (BMI) and crashes among drivers of passenger cars, vans, and trucks has been the focus of much research. However, little is understood about this relationship among motorcyclists, particularly motorcycle taxi drivers who tend to work long hours. Motorcycle taxis are an increasingly popular and important mode of travel in many cities, especially in South-East Asia, due partly to the rise of ride-hailing services. This paper assesses the body mass index (BMI) of motorcycle taxi drivers in Vietnam and its impacts on crashes among three types of drivers (traditional, ride-hailing, and hybrid). Data from a structured questionnaire survey of motorcycle taxi drivers conducted in Hanoi, Vietnam were used. Results show that 18.8% of motorcycle taxi drivers were overweight or obese whereas only 1.4% were underweight. Fulltime motorcycle taxi drivers were more likely to be overweight or obese. Results of random effect binary logistic regression show that overweight and obese motorcycle taxi drivers had significantly higher overall and injury crash risks, when compared to normal-weight motorcycle taxi drivers. Results also indicate that hybrid motorcycle taxi drivers had lower overall and injury crash risks when compared to traditional motorcycle taxi drivers.