Top 10 Causes of Delivery Truck Accidents

With more people shopping online than ever before, there are more and more delivery trucks on the roads, ranging from vans to Fedex and UPS vehicles to semi-trucks carrying full trailers of cargo. Delivery drivers are often working on strict delivery schedules, which could place undue pressure on them to speed, to be distracted, or to fail to exercise adequate care and caution behind the wheel. When this happens, a severe injury or fatal crash can occur.

Below we’ve listed the 10 most common causes of truck accidents. If you’ve been injured in a collision with a delivery truck, contact the Birmingham truck accident attorneys at the Serious Injury Law Group right away. We represent those who’ve been hurt in crashes just like these, and we’ll be ready to put our experience to work for you.

Top Ten Causes of Delivery Truck Crashes

The ten most common causes of delivery truck accidents include:

• Sudden Stops – Delivery trucks may stop suddenly when searching for the correct delivery address. This can cause a vehicle behind the delivery truck to collide with the rear of the truck, leading to an accident.
• Sudden Turns – A UPS driver may make a sudden, unexpected turn after noticing they’ve missed their delivery address. Vans and large trucks require more space to maneuver than smaller vehicles, making an accident more likely.
• Failing to Engage the Parking Brake – If the delivery driver doesn’t engage the parking brake of their van or truck, the vehicle may end up sliding into the path of someone else. With no one in the vehicle to control it, these crashes can be catastrophic.
• Backing Up – Vans and large trucks can be unwieldy to move and require special care when backing up. Otherwise, it’s all too easy for a delivery driver to hit another vehicle, bicyclist, or pedestrian because they weren’t paying enough attention.
• Distracted Driving – Because of their extra size and weight, delivery trucks are more difficult to handle. Drivers need to be extra careful behind the wheel. If they’re talking on the phone, sending or reading a text message, or otherwise distracted, they’re unable to respond in a quick, safe manner when emergencies arise.
• Improperly Secured Loads – Improperly secured loads often lead to delivery truck accidents. Cargo that isn’t properly loaded or secured in a delivery vehicle may come loose, which can affect a vehicle’s handling and lead to a crash. Improperly secured cargo can also fall out the back of the vehicle and strike other cars, bicyclists, or pedestrians in the vicinity.
• Inadequate Training – Delivery companies like Fedex and UPS need to make sure their vehicles have the proper training to safely handle these large vehicles. If drivers aren’t properly trained, they’ll have a much harder time keeping the delivery vehicle under control.
• Inadequate Supervision – In addition to making sure drivers are adequately trained, delivery companies should monitor their drivers for signs of impaired driving, fatigue, and other issues that could compromise the driver’s ability to safely handle the vehicle and can increase the odds of a wreck with their trucks.
• Safety Violations – Federal and state regulators and delivery companies have certain policies in place to help minimize the chance of an accident, such as requiring drivers to get a certain amount of rest before getting behind the wheel. Failure to follow these policies puts delivery drivers at greater risk of being involved in an accident.
• Mechanical Failure – Issues with a delivery truck’s brakes, steering, or other crucial systems may prevent a driver from being able to stop in time or maneuver around a sudden hazard.

If You’ve Been in a Truck Accident, How Serious Injury Law Group Can Help

If you’ve been injured in a collision caused by a negligent delivery truck driver, trucking company, Fedex, UPS, or another entity, the Alabama truck accident lawyers at the Serious Injury Law Group will be ready to stand up and fight for you.

Want to know more? For a free consultation, call our office, visit our contact page, or chat with us online now.