5 Delivery Truck Accident Statistics You Should Know

Delivery trucks—those midsize box trucks you’re probably seeing more and more of lately—transport over 70% of the goods in the United States. Because they carry heavy or dangerous cargo and operate large, unwieldy vehicles, truck drivers and trucking companies are generally held to a higher standard of driving than other motorists. However, far too often a negligent driver causes an accident on a Louisiana road, leading to pain, suffering, property damage, and even death.

We all like to assume that delivery companies take extra precautions and ensure their drivers are safe while on the job, but the plain fact is that these companies are often only concerned about their bottom line and rush deliveries, pressure drivers to cut corners, and worse. If you’ve been in a delivery truck accident, you need legal representation to ensure your needs are met. The Louisiana law firm Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys has helped thousands of clients become whole after their traffic accident—call us today.

Of course, the best way to avoid a delivery truck wreck is to know the facts. Here are 5 statistics about delivery truck accidents to keep in mind next time you’re on the road.

1. The Home Delivery Industry Is Booming in America

According to a report by Quartz, package delivery is the fastest-growing industry nationwide. Between 2017 and 2018, the number of packages delivered worldwide increased a whopping 10.8% to 87 billion—and the industry’s on track to deliver 200 billion packages a year by 2025.

Because of all those deliveries, shipping and delivery companies are experiencing an unprecedented demand for their services. This has led to a hiring frenzy for companies like FedEx and UPS, and even Amazon has entered the delivery fray.

2. Delivery Truck Crashes Are on the Rise

As the number of deliveries rises, it’s inevitable that delivery truck accidents have become more common as well. Truck fatalities involving trucks weighing more than 10,000 pounds increased by 25% nationwide from 2015–2018, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That trend has by and large continued into the present day.

3. Causes of Delivery Truck Accidents

Delivery truck drivers can cause collisions for any number of reasons. Some of the most common include the following:

• Speeding. Because of their tight schedules, delivery truck drivers face pressure to exceed the posted speed limit to meet deadlines. As a result, speeding plays a role in many delivery truck collisions.
• Distracted driving. While on their route, a delivery driver might be looking up directions to their next drop-off, responding to dispatchers, and more, all while trying to drive. Distracted driving is a major cause of accidents in any vehicle, so it’s no wonder that these distractions contribute to delivery crashes.
• Inexperience. Partly due to the increased hiring at delivery companies, and party due to the nature of those hires (Amazon, for example, uses part-time gig workers), many delivery drivers are inexperienced in operating large delivery trucks. This lack of training can lead to an increase in crashes, since delivery trucks, sprinter vans, and other large vehicles handle differently and take up more space on the road.
• Poor vehicle maintenance. Trucking companies have a responsibility to maintain their fleet, but in the pursuit of profit, many cut corners on this vital need. The result can be failing brakes, tires, and other critical components, resulting in a crash.
• Fatigue. Delivery drivers have busy jobs and long shifts behind the wheel, especially during the holiday season when demand for deliveries is high. If they don’t get enough time off between shifts, falling asleep at the wheel can become a major risk in delivering packages. Even if drivers stay awake, drowsy driving has been shown to be just as dangerous as driving under the influence of alcohol.

4. Delivery Truck Crash Injuries

The majority of those injured in delivery truck accidents are drivers and passengers of the other vehicle. Tragically, because of the size difference between even small delivery trucks and the average passenger car, many victims sustain life-altering injuries. These can include

• Neck and back sprains
• Shoulder and knee injuries
• Scarring and disfigurement
• Burns
• Bone fractures
• Head injuries
• Wrongful death
• and others

5. FedEx and UPS Accident Statistics

According to a report by Fox News, the number of crashes involving FedEx drivers increased by 254.5%, and the number of fatalities by 273%, between the years 2012 and 2017, and all signs point to this worrying trend only worsening in the years since the study was conducted. In the same period, crashes involving UPS drivers increased by 38% and fatalities by 25.6%.

Between 2020 and 2022, FedEx drivers were involved in 1,160 collisions, of which 109 resulted in death. For UPS, the numbers aren’t much better: 1,082 crashes and 74 fatalities.

Private delivery companies hold a responsibility to properly train their drivers—especially now that deliveries are quickly becoming a large percentage of traffic in the U.S. When companies neglect to train their drivers, those drivers can neglect to follow proper road safety, leading to injuries, property damage, and worse.

Louisiana Delivery Truck Accident Lawyers

If you or a loved one was involved in a delivery truck crash in Louisiana, you could be in pain, facing thousands in medical bills or property damage, or even mourning the loss of a loved one. You deserve remuneration for the pain and suffering the delivery driver caused your life, but you may not know where to begin.

Luckily, you don’t have to face the future alone. The delivery driver accident attorneys with Gordon McKernan Injury Attorneys have decades of experience helping Louisianans recover their losses after a devastating wreck. Call us today for a free consultation about your options. We’re dedicated to helping you heal.