October 16, 2024
By Lafferty Gallagher Scott
Delivery trucks are great – because they conveniently deliver all sorts of things to us, and there’s little not to love about that. Accidents involving delivery trucks, however, are anything but convenient. If you’ve been injured by the negligence of a delivery truck driver, you need an experienced Ohio personal injury attorney on your side.Â
The Dangers Inherent to Delivery Trucks
As online shopping became more popular, the number of delivery trucks on the roads skyrocketed, and so did accidents involving delivery trucks. A 2021 study by the Strategic Organizing Center (SOC) found that about one in every five full-time drivers contracted by Amazon suffered injuries on the job, a 40% increase from the previous year’s rate.
The sheer size, weight, and bulk of delivery trucks help to ensure that any accidents involving them are very serious accidents. In fact, there are a variety of dangers inherent to delivery trucks, including:
- Delivery trucks make frequent stops and starts, which – because it disrupts traffic flow and can decrease visibility for other drivers – can make dangerous accidents more likely.Â
- Delivery drivers often need to pull over when there is no great spot to do so. This can lead not only to blocked traffic but also to other motorists having to pass delivery trucks precariously.
- Delivery trucks are much larger than nearly all the other vehicles on neighborhood streets, and motorists who aren’t expecting them may not take the appropriate safety precautions.
- Delivery trucks, because of their size and weight, require longer stopping distances, and on crowded neighborhood streets, allowing this extra distance can be difficult.
- Delivery trucks have much larger blind spots along each side than passenger cars do, which can contribute to accidents.
While delivery trucks present unique dangers in our neighborhoods, delivery truck drivers are responsible for driving their vehicles safely in relation to whatever traffic situation comes their way.
Delivery Drivers
The level of safety associated with delivery trucks hinges on their drivers, and delivery driver negligence can come in many forms, including:
- Distraction – Delivery drivers have a lot on their plate, including locating specific addresses, moving over for frequent stops, running packages in, and safely maneuvering back onto neighborhood roads – with the rest of the vehicles (and pedestrians). While it is a lot, these drivers are professional drivers responsible for fulfilling all these tasks safely. When a delivery driver is distracted by anything else, it can end in a dangerous accident.Â
- Impairment – Delivery drivers are on the job and should obviously not be imbibing in alcohol or drugs. Impaired delivery drivers are exceptionally dangerous delivery drivers.
- Excessive Speed – Residential streets have much lower speed limits, and when a delivery driver speeds excessively on these often-crowded streets, they put everyone – including neighborhood children – in danger.
- Exhaustion – Delivery drivers who are fatigued are more likely to be less alert and, thus, less safe.
An Experienced Ohio Truck Accident Attorney Can Help
If you’ve been injured in a delivery truck accident, Lafferty Gallagher & Scott is committed to aggressively advocating for your case’s most favorable resolution. We’re here for you, so please don’t hesitate to contact us today.