Delivery trucks have always been a part of traffic on California’s busy roads and highways, but the number of delivery trucks has significantly increased in recent years with the rise in popularity of delivery services.
Today, you can get nearly everything delivered straight to your door. While this is convenient for the consumers, more delivery vehicles on the road means there is a higher risk of an accident.
There are several common causes of delivery driver accidents in California. Like truck drivers, delivery drivers usually have deadlines to meet.
Pressure to meet deadlines or delivery goals
Many delivery drivers are under increased pressure from their employees to deliver their goods by a certain deadline or within a specific timeframe.
Sometimes, delivery drivers are not even able to take restroom breaks or eat. This means they are more likely to engage in risky driving behaviors, such as speeding, distracted driving or fatigued driving.
An accident with a delivery driver can be more complicated than one with a regular driver. The delivery driver could be an employee of the company or an independent contractor.
Lack of delivery experience
Since many delivery drivers are independent contractors who can use their own vehicles and make their own hours, this naturally leads to a high number of untrained delivery drivers on the roads.
Truckers receive extensive training on how to operate their vehicles safely before they are permitted to take their trucks out on the roads. In contrast, delivery drivers receive no such training, and this means some may have poor driving habits or little to no driving experience.
Important safety tips
There are many things you can do to reduce your chance of an accident with a delivery driver. Try to avoid them on the road if you can.
Although not every delivery driver is an unsafe or risky driver, at the very least, they are probably in a hurry and rushing to meet a deadline. Give them room and space, especially if they are tailgating you.
Likewise, do not react to any aggressive behavior. Delivery drivers who are in a hurry may blow their horns or drive too close to you if they are in a hurry.
Ignore them and let them be on their way. If their behavior causes you to feel unsafe, pull over to the side of the road and call the police.
What to do after an accident with a delivery driver
You are likely to have many questions after an accident with a delivery driver, such as whose insurance company will pay for damages and how fault is assessed.
Recovering compensation after a delivery driver accident requires proving that the delivery driver was negligent. This can be challenging, particularly if the driver counters by claiming that you were negligent, or that your negligence partially contributed to the accident.
If it is determined that you were partially at fault, your compensation could be reduced in proportion to your percentage of negligence.
Personal injury attorneys who handle cases involving different types of motor vehicle accidents can answer your questions and help you develop a strategy for recovering damages.