When a FedEx truck causes a crash, the driver, FedEx, the contracting company, and even the vehicle manufacturer may be held liable for injuries and losses. In some cases, victims can recover compensation from a combination of negligent parties. FedEx trucks are routinely involved in crashes with passenger cars, motorcycles, and pedestrians that result in injuries and fatalities.
FedEx Crashes on the Rise
The FedEx Corporation, based in Memphis, Tennessee, is the second-largest courier company in the United States. FedEx delivers more than 15 million packages to customers around the world on an average day.
FedEx delivery drivers are employed within three transport services: FedEx Ground; FedEx Express; and FedEx Freight. Between the three services, FedEx has approximately 180,000 delivery vehicles on the road every day, including vans, box trucks, and semi tractor-trailers.
Like many courier and delivery companies, FedEx encourages efficient and speedy deliveries to all of its business and residential customers. Delivery drivers are often rushed to ensure that all packages scheduled on their delivery routes are delivered before their shift ends. FedEx delivery drivers are trained to make sure they reach all the stops on their delivery routes on time. This leads to speeding, illegal turns, rolling through stop signs, and reckless driving behaviors. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), more than 3,800 FedEx truck drivers get unsafe driving violations each year for:
- Poorly maintained trucks
- Improperly loaded and/or unsecured cargo
- Cargo spills on roads and highways
- Drowsy driving
- Impaired driving (alcohol and/or drug use)
- Failure to follow rules of the road
Unfortunately, rushed deliveries often lead to accidents with other vehicles and pedestrians. The number of FedEx truck crashes has increased by 255% since 2012. From 2015 to 2017, FedEx drivers were involved in 1762 crashes, resulting in 575 serious injuries and 41 deaths.
In January 2020, an accident on the Pennsylvania Turnpike involving a FedEx semi-truck injured 60 people and killed five people, including a nine-year-old boy. The crash caused a massive pile-up collision that involved a FedEx semi-truck, two UPS semi-trucks, a tour bus, and a passenger car.
FedEx Accident Claims
Filing an injury claim with a truck accident lawyer after a FedEx truck crash can be complicated since the driver, FedEx, the company it contracted with, the vehicle manufacturer, or a combination of parties may have contributed to causing the incident.
