Delivery Truck Crashes

Have you noticed all the delivery trucks zipping up and down the streets of Will County recently? This is especially true right now as we navigate the COVID-19 pandemic, and more people are having products shipped directly to their door.

We depend on these delivery truck services for our businesses and our personal lives, but we don’t often think about the risk they impose on our personal safety. One of these risks is the increased likelihood of being involved in a serious accident with a delivery truck. 

There’s not much we can do about the large volume of delivery trucks on the road. But we can make sure to protect the rights of those who are involved in delivery truck crashes due to driver or employer negligence.

What Causes Delivery Truck Crashes?

Between Amazon, UPS, FedEx, and the United States Postal Service (USPS), there’s an endless stream of delivery trucks driving the streets of Will County.  What’s more, supermarkets and other retail outlets are now delivering as well. Finally, since the shelter-in-place restrictions imposed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic began, more people are relying on these services than ever before.

With more delivery trucks on the road, the likelihood of an accident is higher than ever. These drivers are often undertrained, forced to work long hours, and are usually in a hurry to meet tight deadlines. All of these factors create the perfect storm for a fatigued driver in a hurry to hit an unsuspecting motorist, bicyclist, or pedestrian.

A Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) study states there are three primary causes for delivery truck crashes:

• Driver-related – According to the FMCSA, drivers are to blame for 87% of all delivery truck accidents. Negligence may be due to falling asleep, being distracted, or failure to recognize or observe the situation clearly. Poor decision making is another common culprit, whether it’s driving too fast or misjudging the speed of other vehicles and so on.
• Vehicle-related – Issues with the delivery truck, including brake problems and defective tires, account for 10% of delivery truck crashes.
• Environmental Issues – 3% of delivery accidents are a result of environmental problems such as poor lighting, wet surfaces, and the like.

Who is Financially Responsible for Delivery Truck Accidents?

If you’re hurt in a delivery truck crash, you need to determine who is responsible for your injuries. Unfortunately, this isn’t always a simple task. You have a feeling you should be entitled to compensation, but who is responsible? Is it the driver, the truck company, or someone else?

Generally speaking, the law views most delivery drivers as employees. That means the company the driver works for is financially responsible when the driver is at fault for causing a crash in the course of their job duties.

However, you won’t necessarily know who the employer is just by looking at the logo on the delivery truck. Many delivery companies, including FedEx, contract out their deliveries to other companies.  Your attorney will have to sort through the details to determine who the employer is, as well as the details of the insurance policies of all companies involved, in order to determine who is financially responsible for your personal injuries. This insurance process can be highly complex.

Last but not least, you may be able to file product liability claims against a manufacturer of a defective truck part that may have led to the accident. Such parts could include the delivery truck’s brakes, tires, steering system, or any other applicable part that may have failed.

Contact Our Experienced Illinois Delivery Truck Accident Attorneys Now

Have you or someone close to you been hurt as a result of a delivery truck crash? Contact Sabuco, Beck, Hansen & Massino, P.C. now to schedule a consultation. We’re here to help, so if you have questions, we have answers. Let our experienced Illinois truck accident attorneys handle your case and hold the responsible parties accountable.

Get the rightful compensation you deserve. Take the first step by contacting our professional team now or visiting one of our Will County offices.