With a few clicks, you can have nearly any item delivered to your doorstep. The Covid-19 pandemic is fueling an increase in delivery, from prepared food to groceries to clothing and household items. But, that newfound convenience comes at a price: an increase in traffic crashes.
In this article, we are going to focus on some of the reasons that lead to delivery truck accidents and how they can be resolved. We will also look at how The Hartman Law Firm, LLC, can come to your rescue if you or your loved one is injured by a delivery truck. Read on.
What causes delivery truck accidents?
1. OVERWORKED DRIVERS
As leading online stores like Amazon, eBay, and Alibaba strive to make more goods available to their customers, the demand also continues to increase. In a bid to maintain fast delivery, the drivers are forced to make excess trips in a day, which brings about serious exhaustion.
To the buyer, getting what they’ve bought on time is very important, and to the business, being able to deliver fast is a bonus; but for the drivers that have to go the extra shifts to make the deliveries, it is a nightmare. The danger in this is that fatigued drivers are more prone to make bad judgments while on the wheel, which leads to road accidents.
2. DRIVER NEGLIGENCE
In a bid to make all deliveries assigned to them, delivery truck drivers tend to break traffic rules a lot. If not over speeding, you will find them not yielding way where they are supposed to. Such careless driving is one of the leading causes of road accidents. However, it is important to note that the root problem lies with the delivery systems in place. There is a lot of pressure on delivery truck drivers to ensure that all deliveries are done within a given time.
3. MOST DELIVERY TRUCKS ARE IN POOR CONDITIONS
Defective parts and poor maintenance of the delivery trucks are also factors that cause road accidents. As most of these trucks are used to make deliveries every day, there is rarely time for them to get serviced. The resulting effect is that these trucks become more susceptible to causing accidents.
4. POOR HIRING HABITS BY DELIVERY COMPANIES
This is a problem that mostly lies on the delivery companies and not on the convenient websites. With the increased demand and deliveries that have to be made, online stores have to sub-contract the delivery process to delivery companies. It has been noted that a good number of the delivery companies have poor hiring and training policies for their drivers. As a result, we have the wrong people behind wheels on the delivery trucks, which causes accidents.
How can these issues be addressed?
Accidents caused by delivery trucks can be reduced by up to more than 80% if the right measures are followed.
Delivery companies should ensure that all their trucks are in good condition at all times. It will also help if these companies increase their employee numbers so that there are more drivers to make deliveries with shifts. This will ensure that we do not have exhausted drivers on our roads.
Another thing that can help reduce delivery truck accidents is for online stores to implement realistic logistic plans. There is no need to promise to make delivery within 24 hours if the good is not for emergency purposes. With an increased delivery timeline, the pressure on drivers will not be there, and this will greatly help reduce accidents.
Also, during this COVID-19 pandemic, online stores may opt to only deliver essential goods. This may not be good for business, but it will help to reduce road accidents and ensure that buyers get what they really need. After all, who needs new clothes when under lockdown?
Who is held responsible for accidents caused by delivery trucks?
If you or your loved one is injured in an accident involving a delivery truck, you have the right to make a claim. Under the law, delivery truck drivers are considered as employees, and so any financial burden resulting from an accident is born by the employer.
However, the driver inside the truck may not always be an employee of the delivery company. Most large delivery companies outsource drivers from other companies. It is for this reason that you will need an attorney to get all the facts right before making a claim for it to be successful.
Working with an attorney
In any accident, the best option for you is to always involve your attorney. You will definitely need legal aid in following up on your insurance claims and liability claims. It is important to note that in some rare cases where a delivery truck causes an accident, the liability can fall on more than one party. For example, if a defective brake from manufacturer A, and a defective tire from manufacturer B, combined with careless driving are causes for an accident, you will have to make claims against all the three parties. Doing so on your own can be a daunting task and more reason for you to work with an attorney.
The Hartman Law Firm, LLC, will ensure that you are rightfully compensated for any injuries resulting from delivery truck accidents. Frank is one of the best car accident attorneys in South Caroline, and you can be assured of getting quality services.
Frank Hartman will fight for fair and reasonable compensation for your injuries.
To get started, call Frank 24/7 at 843.300.7600. Or, you can contact him online, or email him at james@thehartmanlawfirm.com.
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