United Parcel Service (UPS) is one of the largest package delivery companies in the world and is easily recognizable by its brown trucks and gold logo. It uses a variety of trucks, including 18-wheelers, commercial box trucks, and vans to transport packages throughout Southern California. With more people buying goods online, UPS trucks are on our roads even more. Sadly, they are also the cause of many vehicle accidents, resulting in serious injuries and deaths.
UPS and its drivers are required to follow the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s rules and regulations governing trucks. These laws establish mandatory requirements for the safe operation of trucks, including:
- Driver training
- Truck repair and maintenance
- Driver hours-of-service reporting
- Driver alcohol and drug prevention programs
Common Causes of UPS Accidents
UPS drivers are under constant pressure to deliver their load of packages quickly. Sadly, this results in the drivers not driving safely, causing crashes. Common causes of UPS accidents include:
- Failing to train drivers properly. UPS truckers need special training to learn how to drive a truck safely, understand their load and how it could shift, and to understand safety measures they need to take to avoid a crash.
- Failing to yield. This commonly occurs when UPS drivers fail to yield to other drivers when merging back into traffic after delivering a package and results in serious accidents and injuries to other motorists.
- Making sudden movements. Making sudden stops and quick left turns is a common way accidents with trucks occur. UPS truckers engage in these unsafe practices when they are looking for an address to deliver a package to.
- Failing to set the parking brake. UPS truckers in a rush forget to set their parking brake when parking, causing the truck to roll back into another vehicle. The driver may not even realize it is happening as he rushes to deliver the next package.
- Speeding. UPS truckers speed because they’re in a rush to get to the next stop. Speeding can increase the seriousness of the accident and the injuries to its victims.
- Tailgating. Tailgating is always dangerous. It is even worse when a UPS trucker engages in this practice because trucks need a longer braking distance to stop.
- Backing up. UPS truckers backing up quickly after making a stop often are not aware of the vehicles around them and can crash into the one behind them.
Because UPS trucks are so much larger and heavier than most passenger vehicles, UPS truck accidents can total the other motorist’s vehicle and cause more serious injuries—like traumatic brain damage, spinal cord injuries, and burns—and death to other motorists. Fortunately, injured victims of these dangerous accidents may be entitled to compensation for their medical bills, lost wages, and property damage from the UPS driver and the company.
Have you been injured in an accident caused by a UPS driver? It is important that you talk to an experienced truck accident attorney before speaking to UPS or its insurance company. Start an online chat or call us at 800-989-6385 for a free consultation to learn about your legal options and how we can help you get the compensation you deserve.
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