Package delivery vehicles are everywhere on modern roads. In addition to the United States Postal Service (USPS), drivers may frequently encounter private fleet vehicles. UPS and FedEx have provided package delivery services for decades. There are also numerous companies, such as Amazon, that develop their own proprietary delivery.
Unfortunately, sometimes package delivery vehicles cause crashes that bring traffic grinding to a halt. The smaller vehicles involved in collisions caused by package delivery vehicles may be unsafe to drive after the collision. The occupants of those passenger vehicles could sustain major injuries.
Who is usually liable when a package delivery vehicle causes a crash?
The driver
Commercial drivers are subject to stricter regulations than those operating their own vehicles. Package delivery professionals typically need to have commercial licensing. They may have to drive at lower speed limits on certain roads and are subject to stricter rules regarding their personal conduct.
Despite higher standards, they can still potentially cause crashes. If drivers are negligent or violate the law in traffic, they may be liable for the harm that they cause other people.
The employer
Typically, companies that benefit from the labor of workers have a degree of liability for their behavior. Employers often have vicarious liability for the conduct or negligence of their employees while they are on the clock performing job functions.
For package delivery companies, that liability manifests as financial responsibility when delivery vehicles cause crashes. Typically, big businesses carry large commercial insurance policies to indemnify the organization against liability for injuries and property damage losses. People involved in crashes caused by package delivery vehicles may have grounds for an insurance claim against a sizable commercial policy.
Occasionally, company practices may have directly contributed to the crash. Improper training and high-pressure employment policies can increase the likelihood of a preventable motor vehicle collision caused by a delivery driver. Improper vehicle maintenance could also increase collision risk.
Occasionally, third-party organizations may have a degree of liability. Defective components, unprofessional repair services and improper vehicle loading are among the scenarios that might make an outside company partially responsible.
Knowing who might be liable can be helpful for those coping with the aftermath of a commercial vehicle collision. When a delivery vehicle causes a crash, its driver or the company that hired the driver might be liable. Holding the right party accountable can help those affected by such crashes limit their losses.