Many lawsuits have been filed against Amazon delivery truck drivers in recent years and now a report shows Amazon delivery drivers are more likely to be injured in road accidents in comparison to UPS.
Before we look at the details of the report, let’s first take a look at what you should do if you’re unfortunate enough to end up in an accident with an Amazon driver.
What if you’re hurt by an Amazon truck?
If you’re ever involved in a road accident with an Amazon delivery truck or Amazon trailer, you should first check for injuries. If you or others sustain serious injuries, call for emergency help. You should also call law enforcement to report the accident.
Next, as long as you aren’t too seriously injured, exchange contact and insurance information with the Amazon delivery driver.
Ask the driver if he or she is on duty. If the Amazon delivery driver is on duty, it means Amazon could face liability.
You should note the license plate and take detailed photographs of the accident scene from various angles, too. That can help to prove liability for your insurance claim. Make sure you take photographs of any damage.
Also, get the contact information of any witnesses. That can aid you in proving liability as well.
Once you have done all of that and any injuries have been looked at by a medical professional, you should consider contacting a personal injury lawyer who can help you recover the compensation you are entitled to after being involved in Amazon truck accidents that aren’t your fault.
Delivery Driver Injuries: Amazon Vs UPS
According to a 2021 report from the Strategic Organizing Center, contract delivery drivers working for Amazon are injured at higher rates in comparison to UPS.
The labor union based its findings on data collected by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration.
The report found that Amazon drivers are injured more often and more seriously than UPS drivers.
In 2020, Amazon drivers experienced 13.3 injuries for every 100 employees. In comparison, UPS drivers sustained 9 injuries per 100 employees.
The report also discovered that Amazon drivers were almost three times as likely to suffer injuries that were serious enough to require time off compared to UPS drivers.
Other Amazon Employees Also Sustain a High Number of Injuries Each Year
The report also found Amazon’s contract delivery drivers were hurt at almost double the rate of its employees who worked at its fulfillment centers.
But Amazon’s warehouse workers operating in delivery stations were injured more in comparison to the fulfillment center workers.
In 2020, there were almost 27,000 injuries at Amazon warehouses.
Combined with the high number of road accident injuries sustained by Amazon delivery drivers, that means Amazon is now one of the companies that’s most responsible for workplace injuries in the United States.
Why are Amazon delivery drivers more likely to be injured than UPS drivers?
Amazon is well known for being a company that demands its workers, in all areas of the business, maintain a very high pace of work.
The above report found a direct connection between Amazon’s expectations for the high pace of work and the high rate of injuries sustained by drivers and other Amazon employees.
The strenuous pace of delivering packages and the repercussions that drivers face for falling behind schedule is surely resulting in more road accidents involving both Amazon delivery drivers and others.
Amazon responded to the findings of the report by saying it already takes ample steps to protect its employees but it is instituting a new safety program to help bring down injury rates. In fact, the company plans to halve injury rates within the next four years.
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