Our bustling consumer-driven economy is powered – more and more – by online shopping. This means that all those goods must be delivered to our front doors, and as this trend continues unabated, it means that we see far more delivery trucks in our neighborhoods. With delivery trucks come special safety concerns – especially on sleepy neighborhood streets where people generally feel a bit safer.
Special Safety Issues
Delivery trucks come in all shapes and sizes, but they are usually far larger and bulkier than the cars we drive, which increases the danger of any accidents that ensue. Further, delivery drivers are professional drivers who are held to strict rules and regulations for a very good reason – to help keep our roadways safer. When it comes to delivery trucks, there are specific safety concerns involved, including:
- Making Sudden Stops – Delivery trucks, by design, make deliveries, which means that they must, understandably, make frequent stops. The fact is, however, that delivery drivers are responsible for knowing their delivery routes, for planning their stops ahead of time, and for indicating to other motorists when they are preparing to make a stop. When a delivery driver takes it upon himself or herself to make sudden stops to avoid overshooting a delivery, that driver puts everyone behind his or her vehicle in danger.
- Making Sudden Left Turns – Yes, delivery drivers run on tight schedules, and missing a turn can add plenty of time. This does not, however, give delivery drivers the right to make dangerous and sudden left turns. Such turns endanger oncoming vehicles, vehicles approaching from behind, pedestrians, and cyclists alike.
- Reversing – Sometimes, delivery trucks must be put into reverse, and that is generally fine – as long as the driver exercises necessary caution in the matter. Again, however, when a delivery driver chooses to throw his or her truck into reverse to shave off time – without ensuring that it is safe to do so – that driver endangers everyone in the vehicles that are approaching from behind.
- Failing to Use the Parking Brake – Delivery trucks are equipped with extremely sturdy parking brakes that help ensure that the large vehicles do not roll backward into the road when the driver is making deliveries. When a delivery driver fails to engage the parking brake when he or she rushes to make a delivery, the chances of a dangerous accident occurring are greatly increased.