Online shopping has increased dramatically over the past several years, which means that more delivery trucks have taken to the road. This increase has been reflected in statistics, which show that millions of packages are delivered throughout the United States each day. And that number is only expected to increase over the coming decade.
In fact, you’ve probably seen multiple delivery trucks cruising through your neighborhood on a daily basis. The drivers of these trucks are on tight timelines. This often means that they’re driving quickly to try to get their job done so that they can get home. Sadly, this all too often results in a delivery truck accident.
How common are delivery truck accidents?
Truck accidents, which include wrecks involving delivery trucks, are far more common than people realize. Statistics show that delivery trucks from FedEx, UPS, and Amazon are involved in thousands of accidents each year. This isn’t surprising considering that these companies have tens of thousands of trucks in their fleets. And as delivery rates continue to increase, the rate at which delivery truck accidents occur is also expected to increase.
How do delivery truck accidents occur?
As with other types of accidents, there are a lot of ways that delivery truck wrecks can occur. Here are some of the most common contributing factors to these accidents:
- Speeding: Since delivery drivers are often subjected to time constraints, they’re under a lot of pressure to move quickly. This means that they oftentimes break the speed limit, which can increase the risk of being involved in an accident.
- Distraction: Delivery truck drivers are frequently distracted. They have to search for unfamiliar roads and addresses, all while consulting with their navigation device. As a result, their eyes are often taken off the road, which puts other motorists at risk of being unexpectedly hit.
- Sudden movements: When these delivery drivers spot a road or address that they’re looking for, they tend to make quick maneuvers to try to get where they’re going. This means they might change lanes or turn suddenly and without signaling or checking their mirrors, or they might slam on the brakes.
- Drowsy driving: Since these delivery truck drivers often have to put in long hours, some of them tend to be sleepy while behind the wheel. This can reduce their reaction time and decrease the attention that they pay to the road and their surroundings.
What should you do after being involved in a delivery truck accident?
First of all, you need to make sure that you receive treatment for any injuries that you’ve suffered and that the police have been called to the scene. Once you’re out of the hospital, then you should try to do each of the following:
- Take pictures of the accident scene
- Obtain your police report
- Talk to witnesses, making sure that you have their contact information
- Refrain from making any admissions to the truck company or an insurance company
- Keep a journal of how your injuries have affected your life
- Keep track of your accident-related expenses
- Talk to experts who can attest to your medical condition and employment issues
- Avoid accepting any settlement offers that are made
There’s a lot to prepare as you ready yourself to pursue legal action. And you’ll want to make sure that your case is as strong as possible. That’s why before moving forward with your claim you might want to discuss your situation with an attorney who can help you analyze the evidence and create the persuasive legal strategy that you need to best position yourself for success.