Macon FedEx Truck Accident Lawyer

How Delivery Deadlines Drive Split-Second Mistakes by FedEx Drivers

FedEx and other delivery service providers are an essential part of communities in Georgia and across the country. The shift to online shopping has made the folks in purple and black popular in neighborhoods and business districts and their white delivery trucks hard to miss.

The surge in delivery trucks has also come with an increase in risks for anyone sharing the road with them. Crashes involving FedEx delivery drivers can and do happen, often causing serious injuries because of the size of the vehicles and the speeds at which they travel.

FedEx drivers are specifically trained to operate large commercial vehicles. They also are under intense pressure to hit tight deadlines that can force them into dangerous mistakes.

The Macon FedEx truck accident lawyers at Merritt & Merritt Law Firm help people and families who have been injured in a wide range of crashes. We are experienced attorneys who have dedicated our careers to getting our clients the full compensation available under the law.

If you or a loved one has been injured in an accident, our Macon FedEx truck accident lawyers are just a phone call away. Call us today at 478-845-6464 to speak with an attorney about your rights and options.

How Delivery Truck Crashes Happen

There are several factors typically at play in FedEx and other delivery truck collisions. Many are similar to those for other traffic accidents, but FedEx and its competitors operate in certain ways that often ramp up the hazards.

Our Macon FedEx truck accident lawyers commonly see traffic accident cases involving:

• Speeding
• Aggressive driving
• Distraction
• Fatigue
• Drinking and driving
• Poor weather and road conditions

In many situations, a combination of these and other factors can contribute to a crash. Fatigue and distraction, for instance, are magnified by shoddy road conditions or pressure to complete deliveries “on time.”

How Delivery Deadlines Can Result in Mistakes

A thrill for reckless driving is not one of the traits that FedEx and other companies actively seek out when hiring employees, although it may sometimes seem that way. The reality is that many delivery drivers are pushed to the brink by deadlines that force drivers to make split-second decisions under pressure.

The package delivery industry is built on speed. Customers have come to expect overnight or same-day delivery, and large carriers like FedEx structure their operations around meeting strict delivery windows. Drivers are assigned routes with hundreds of stops and are expected to complete them within narrow time frames.

Sure, safety policies exist on paper. But drivers know that late deliveries can result in discipline, route changes and even termination. That kind of pressure hangs over drivers every day that they are behind the wheel. It often builds over the course of a day, as traffic, construction, weather and other complications put drivers behind their schedules. By mid-route, drivers commonly are in positions where every minute counts.

A FedEx driver racing the clock is a recipe for disaster. What should be ordinary situations can become high-risk moments, even for the most experienced and well-trained drivers. They have only a split-second to decide whether to:

• Beat a yellow light instead of stopping
• Make a quick turn across traffic rather than waiting
• Park briefly in an unsafe spot to avoid walking farther
• Reverse in a tight area instead of circling the block
• Change lanes quickly to avoid slowing traffic

These instant decisions can have life-changing consequences, both for delivery truck drivers and anyone else in traffic with them. Drivers often are making these judgment calls while also scanning for addresses, watching traffic, monitoring mirrors or thinking about the next delivery.

Big Trucks Cause Serious Injuries

Delivery trucks tend to pose a higher threat than cars and some other vehicles because of the way that they are designed. FedEx vehicles are heavier, longer and harder to stop than most passenger cars.

When a driver misjudges distance or timing, the consequences can be severe. A delivery van that runs a light or makes an abrupt turn has far less room for error than a compact car. What might have been a “close call” in a normal car becomes a devastating impact when a delivery vehicle is involved.

The sheer size of the trucks means that injuries tend to be more extensive when accidents happen. Broken bones, head injuries, spinal damage and internal injuries are common when large commercial vehicles strike smaller cars, pedestrians or people on motorcycles and bicycles.

Fatigue and Pressure Are a Deadly Mix

Strict delivery schedules are especially dangerous when combined with drivers who are tired or distracted. Unfortunately, it happens all too often.

Delivery drivers routinely spend long hours in their trucks, shifts that may include early start times and limited breaks. That is especially true during peak seasons, like the winter holidays.

Fatigue slows reaction time, reduces situational awareness and impairs judgment. A tired driver under deadline pressure is more likely to take risks, miscalculate speed or overlook hazards. For accident victims, this means crashes typically are not simply matters of “bad luck.” Instead, they are the predictable result of a system that prioritizes speed over safety.

Here are some of the most common types of crashes that our Macon FedEx truck accident lawyers see:

• Head-on collisions
• Rear-end crashes
• Sideswipes
• T-bone collisions
• Multi-vehicle pileups
• Highway construction accidents
• Drunk driving collisions
• Pedestrian accidents

FedEx and other businesses rushing to put trucks on the road tend to cut corners, which can have devastating results. When they push drivers to get behind the wheel without proper training, it is only a matter of time before those drivers are involved in crashes. When they skip routine truck inspection and maintenance, they increase the chances that the vehicles will fail while out on routes.

Compensation for Delivery Truck Accident Injuries

Anyone injured in a crash involving a delivery truck in Georgia has the right to seek compensation from those responsible, including drivers, their employers and their insurers.

The money damages available in these cases generally are meant to put an injured person back in the financial position that he or she was in at the time of the accident. They cover medical costs and missed earnings that you have already incurred, as well that which you can be reasonably expected to incur in the future. In the tragic event that a person is killed in a delivery truck accident, his or her family has the right to seek compensation for wrongful death.

To get compensation, you have to be able to prove fault and liability. FedEx and other delivery businesses are legally responsible for accidents caused by their drivers on the job. These companies have vast networks of insurance coverage designed to kick in when accidents happen.

Like anyone operating a motor vehicle, delivery truck drivers generally are required to operate their trucks in a reasonably safe manner at all times. They are also obligated to refrain from dangerous behavior, like aggressive driving or operating a vehicle while under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Drivers who do not live up to this responsibility are likely to be found negligent and legally responsible for any crashes that happen as a result.

What To Do If You Are Involved in a FedEx Truck Accident

The immediate aftermath of a traffic accident can be an intense and confusing time in which emotions run high. It is often a crucial period for determining who is at fault in the collision.

Addressing injuries should be the top concern. Drivers and passengers who are injured in crashes should call 911 and seek immediate medical attention, if needed. If you are not seriously injured, check on others involved in the crash to determine if they need emergency medical services.

The next step is to alert police. Cops who arrive on the scene will inspect the crash site, looking for physical evidence, speaking to the people involved and talking with any witnesses. Police officers typically generate an accident report, which may or may not identify who the officer believes is at fault in the collision.

Drivers who can safely move their cars to the shoulder of the road should do so while waiting for police to arrive. Doing so reduces the risk of a second accident involving oncoming traffic.

Drivers and passengers who are not seriously injured should try to document the scene themselves. Photos showing the damage to the vehicles and other physical signs of the crash, like skid marks and your own injuries can be useful in proving your case down the road. So can compiling a list of the people involved in the crash and any witnesses.

Merritt & Merritt Law Firm Helps People Get Back on Their Feet

At Merritt & Merritt Law Firm, our Macon FedEx truck accident lawyers are dedicated to helping people and families who have been injured through no fault of their own. We fight diligently to protect and defend our clients rights.

Our goal is to help you move on with your life after an accident by getting the full compensation available under the law. Call our team at 478-845-6464 for a free, no-risk consultation.