Online shopping has made getting what you need or want more convenient than ever before, but that convenience comes with a surprisingly steep price tag for society as a whole. Domestic infrastructure has struggled to keep up with delivery demand even as online sales have skyrocketed in recent years.
There are now more delivery vehicles on the road than ever before, and their presence contributes to a significant number of crashes. The demands of private companies have changed the way we think of package delivery, with many people now expecting service seven days a week.
With every additional mile traveled by delivery vehicles, there is additional risk to the public of crashes with these large vehicles. Why are delivery driver collisions so common?
Stressed-out delivery drivers can’t prioritize safety
The professionals delivering packages for some of the biggest companies in the country often don’t have enough wiggle room in their schedules to take bathroom breaks. They need to deliver packages within minutes of arrival at an address, regardless of the circumstances, such as a lack of on-street parking nearby. Their schedule will have almost no flexibility and may include hundreds of stops.
The result is that drivers may be distracted by physical sensations like hunger and a need to urinate. They may also park their vehicles in unsafe places or maneuver aggressively when they are about to miss a turn or pass a property where they need to deliver something.
Businesses have expanded fleets too quickly
Historically, major delivery companies have required pristine driving records and the utmost professionalism from applicants.
With demand for quick delivery drivers now exceeding available supply, companies may cut corners on training to get people out on the road more quickly, or they may compromise previously rigorous standards regarding employment history, criminal backgrounds and driving records. Even when the company takes great pains to plan out safe routes, those new drivers may be at increased risk of causing crashes.
If there is any silver lining to a commercial delivery vehicle collision, it is that delivery fleet vehicles typically have better insurance through the company than individual drivers would have on personal vehicles. Taking action after a car crash involving a delivery driver may require an insurance claim or possibly even a civil lawsuit.