Auto Accidents and Delivery Trucks
Amazon and other online retailers have made lives more convenient. They’ve also led to an increase in mail volume. More mail means more deliveries, more deliveries means more delivery vehicles, and more delivery vehicles means a greater risk of auto accidents involving mail delivery vehicles. When these crashes occur, the Daytona Beach, FL attorneys at Chanfrau & Chanfrau can help.
Let’s go over some of the causes of delivery truck accidents. We’ll also offer some insight into how common these collisions are these days and who is considered legal liable in such cases.
Common Causes of Delivery Truck Crashes
Some of the most common causes of delivery truck crashes are as follows:
- Driver Fatigue - Delivery vehicle drivers spend long hours behind the wheel and also have to lift and load packages all day. This can result in exhaustion, which increases the risk of collisions.
- Volume of Delivery - The sheer amount of mail that must be delivered each day has increased because of online shopping. The sheer numbers make collisions more likely.
- Vehicle Blindspots - Given the size of mail delivery trucks, blind spots are a given. Vehicles to the sides and behind mail trucks are rarely seen by even the most attentive driver.
- Vehicle Maintenance Issues - Given the hours spend on the road every week, mail delivery vehicles have to be regularly serviced. That covers regular tire, brake, and fluid checks.
Other Factors That Make Delivery Truck Crashes More Likely
In addition to the above causes, it’s always important to consider these two other factors in many traffic collisions:
- Poor Weather - Bad weather can cause dangerous driving for all vehicles. While driving in rain, snow, and fog, a driver’s traction and visibility are seriously reduced.
- Bad Road Conditions - Potholes, debris in the road, broken traffic signals, and tight turns mean unsafe driving for all motorists.
Statistics on Delivery Truck Fleets
While national statistics on delivery vehicle crashes are not readily available, there are two sets of telling statistics that put the potential for collisions into perspective.
According to 2018 numbers from the United States Postal Service (USPS), there were 232,372 USPS delivery vehicles in their fleet. These vehicles traveled 231,843 different delivery routes across the United States.
An article published in Automotive Fleet notes that United Parcel Service (UPS) had 119,000 vehicles in their fleet during 2017. For that year, UPS averaged 8.95 vehicle crashes for every 100,000 hours of driving.
Who Is Liable in a Mail Delivery Truck Crash?
When going over the evidence in your case, it’s important to consider the nature of the collision. That will determine who is negligent and liable in the crash.
Delivery truck drivers may be considered negligent in a crash if they drive recklessly or inattentively. This includes speeding, failure to observe the right of way, and failure to check blind spots.
Delivery companies themselves may also be held liable for collision. This may occur when the companies fail to service the vehicles in their fleet, subject their employees to long work hours, or hire drivers with bad records and other red flags of dangerous driving.
Our Auto Accident Lawyers Are Here to Help
If you or someone you care about has been injured in a collision with a mail delivery vehicle, contact our team of auto accident lawyers. The team at Chanfrau & Chanfrau can be reached in Daytona Beach at (866) 610-0653 and in Palm Coast at (386) 439-7760.