Fedex And UPS Accidents Have Risen As More And More People Have Holiday Deliveries Shipped After Black Friday And Cyber Monday Sales.
The holidays bring the most package delivery traffic of the season, especially after Black Friday and Cyber Monday. With more and more retailers offering free-shipping FedEx and UPS accidentshave continued to rise. With multiple delivery truck accidents reported in the last week. Reports show delivery trucks are involved in more accidents during the holidays season than any other time of year. According to the Washington Post, the USPS delivers nearly 600 million packages during the holiday season while FedEx delivers close to 300 million. With more and more customers shopping online, holiday delivery traffic is higher than ever. In 2014, the USPS delivered packages seven days a week up until December 24th. [washingtonpost.com/news/business/wp/2015/01/01/fedex-ups-step-up-their-holiday-shipping-performance/, December 2015]
Each year, the number of FedEx and UPS accidents have risen. Statistics show that December is one of the worst seasons for freight truck accidents and delivery truck accidents, with an increased risk of nearly 10 percent for delivery truck accidents. In 2012, over 100,000 people were injured in accidents with large trucks and tractor trailers and the risk only increases with more delivery trucks and tractor trailers on the road.
This year, several delivery trucks have been involved in FedEx and UPS accidents. A UPS truck in Sarasota Florida was derailed in early November on its way to deliver packages. The packages were damaged, but luckily, no humans were injured in the wreck. A UPS delivery truck driver in Indiana was not so lucky. He died in a crash involving his tractor trailer on Thanksgiving Day. Thanksgiving Day is one of the statistically most dangerous days for truck accidents, with an average of over 400 fatalities occurring each year. [nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/Pubs/811868.pdf, December 2015] [http://www.whas11.com/story/news/traffic/accident-construction/2015/11/28/ups-driver-loses-control-truck-dies-fiery-crash/76494154/, December 2015]
Driver fatigue could account for some of the many tractor trailer accidents and delivery truck accidents that occur during the holiday season. In previous years, the maximum allowed working hours during a seven day period by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) was 82 hours. In 2011, that maximum was changed to 70 hours, but many drivers are driving far more than the legal limits. Monitoring of safe driving limits is difficult during any time of year, but especially difficult during the holiday season when truck drivers are encouraged to work as much as possible. Some employers may push for drivers to work more than the legal limit to ensure packages are delivered on time. These safety violations can have major effects on the safety of US roadways. [forconstructionpros.com/article/10705351/plan-for-hours-of-service-changes, December 20125]
Drivers can reduce the chances of dangerous or deadly delivery truck accidents by taking specific safety precautions during the holiday season. The biggest solution is to allow trucks plenty of navigation room. Trucks require a large amount of space to stop safely, and cutting off a truck could cause it to slip, tip over, or crash into the car in front of it. Avoid driving in a truck’s blind spot as this can make the risk of accidents increase. And above all, leave a wide berth around delivery vehicles during rain, ice, snow and other inclement weather conditions to allow plenty of space for the driver to make safe driving decisions.
