Online shopping has made life incredibly convenient. People no longer need to go to multiple stores to find the right item. They can just make a direct purchase online and have what they need delivered right to their homes. Even people who had previously been quite resistant to delivery services may have tried them out in the last few years due to health concerns. From online mega-stores that deliver everything within a few days of someone’s order to grocery stores that deliver people’s food right to their front porch, direct online purchasing has never been more popular.
This shift has challenged traditional retail businesses to adjust their practices and has also led to a drastic uptick in the number of delivery vehicles on the road. Unfortunately, these larger delivery fleets have a direct correlation with an increased risk of being involved in a serious car crash.
Why are delivery vehicles a concern?
In theory, delivery vehicles have professionals at the wheel with more training than the average driver, which could make them safer than many passenger vehicles. However, the reality of being a delivery driver for a big business is very demanding.
Workers often put in very long shifts with almost no wiggle room in the schedule to allow for traffic, meals or bathroom breaks. They often have to make questionable choices when driving, such as making unexpected maneuvers if they miss a turn or parking their vehicles in very unsafe places to make a delivery quickly.
Delivery drivers, distracted by navigation software, could easily cause crashes. They can also contribute to crashes with unsafe and unpredictable driving habits and questionable parking practices.
What happens after a delivery vehicle crash?
If someone gets hurt by a delivery driver, especially if they are in a fleet vehicle, there is likely a business insurance policy that applies. In some cases, the person hurt in the crash may have grounds to bring a claim against the driver or the business that employs them in addition to pursuing insurance compensation.
As more people turn to online shopping for an increasing percentage of their purchases, members of the public are likely to experience increased crash risk related to delivery fleets. Learning more about these risks can inspire individual motorists to be particularly cautious when encountering fleet vehicles in traffic. In the event that a major car wreck does occur, this knowledge can be useful when injury victims work with legal professionals to seek justice.