Delivery driving is a common career. Those working to establish themselves in different professions might moonlight as delivery drivers to augment entry-level wages. Others deliver full-time for years or even decades.
Some people deliver groceries or meals from restaurants. Others obtain commercial driver’s licenses (CDLs) and operate large delivery vehicles for major commercial fleets. Delivery drivers help keep the economy running. However, they also create a degree of risk for others in traffic. Many preventable collisions every year occur because of the conduct of delivery drivers in particular.
How can delivery professionals put others at risk of a crash?
1. With unpredictable or aggressive maneuvers
Typically, motorists need to gradually slow down. Drivers also need to use their turn signals to communicate with others.
The failure to follow these basic safety practices can result in others causing preventable collisions. Particularly when delivery drivers are not familiar with a particular neighborhood, they could drive in unpredictable ways that increase crash risk.
2. With unsafe parking
Many delivery drivers have incredibly demanding work schedules. They may need to deliver hundreds of packages during a single shift. They have limited time to locate a parking place and to move from their vehicle to the recipient’s door.
In some cases, the delivery drivers park in unsafe places. While doing so breaks the law, they take the risk for the sake of expedience. When delivery drivers park on the road or in locations that are hard for approaching motorists to see, their decision might lead to a preventable crash.
3. With fatigue or distraction
The more time that people spend in their vehicles, the more likely they are to experience fatigue or exhaustion while on the road. Delivery drivers working for 10 straight hours may feel incredibly exhausted by the end of their shifts. Their fatigue may affect their judgment and ability to maintain control of the vehicle.
Delivery drivers may also become distracted. They may rely on navigation or dispatch devices that they need to interact with while driving. Some may also use personal devices while driving to remain connected to their loved ones. Their distraction may prevent them from responding appropriately to changing traffic conditions.
When delivery drivers cause crashes through their poor choices, other people may pay the price. Seeking compensation after a car crash involving a delivery vehicle can be a complex process. Injured people may need help determining who is liable, quantifying their losses and pursuing compensation from appropriate parties.