While it is common to see 18-wheelers rushing along busy highways, commercial delivery vans pepper city streets, county roads and neighborhoods alike. As online commerce continues to grow in convenience, efficiency and popular use, these delivery trucks continue to overwhelm the smaller passenger vehicles they share space with. Unfortunately, drivers of commercial delivery trucks can make crucial mistakes that put the safety of other motorists at risk.
While not as large as an 18-wheeler, a commercial delivery truck is still much larger than other vehicles on the road. Delivery trucks or box vans such as those used by Amazon, UPS or FedEx can cause significant damage in a motor vehicle collision.
Common behaviors that lead to accidents
Often, several types of mistakes can lead to these collisions, including:
- Distracted driving: Commercial delivery drivers spend their entire work shift on the road. It is challenging for them to avoid any type of activity that might help them pass the time or avoid monotony. Unfortunately, these actions almost always become distractions. Personal grooming, eating lunch or having a cell phone conversation can all pull a driver’s attention from the road and hands from the steering wheel.
- Drowsy driving: Whether it is due to a medical condition, simple lack of sleep or medication side effect, drivers often become fatigued behind the wheel. When commercial truck drivers are tasked with making fast deliveries while their perceptions are dulled by lack of sleep, they can cause catastrophic collisions.
- Poor maintenance: While the company must ensure proper maintenance to all vehicle control and safety systems, the driver is the first line of defense if something goes wrong. From tire blowouts and brake failure to a throttle malfunction, drivers who cannot control their vehicles can cause devastating collisions.
While these drivers must often complete additional training and are generally considered professional motorists, they can still make mistakes. It is not uncommon for these errors to lead to severe collisions resulting in serious injuries.