Have you started your holiday shopping? You’re not alone. Analysts expect online shopping to jump 10% over 2020 — and people are starting early to make sure that shipping delays aren’t a problem.
While Black Friday and Cyber Monday are still a few weeks away, most stores (and consumers) aren’t waiting. That means that more packages will be appearing in front of doors — and more delivery trucks will soon be around.
Why worry about delivery trucks this holiday season?
You run a much bigger risk of being involved in an accident with a delivery truck at this time of the year, whether you’re walking or driving. Consider these factors:
- There’s a labor shortage in every industry, and many of the holiday delivery drivers may still be fairly new to their jobs.
- The increase in deliveries requires drivers to work longer hours, which means many of them may be exhausted and not quite as focused as they should be.
- Drivers may be covering routes they don’t know very well, which means they may be paying more attention to their guidance system or the dispatcher than the road.
- The roads may be increasingly slick as winter rolls in, and many of those delivery drivers may be rushing too fast for the road conditions.
Ultimately, there’s nothing you can do about other people’s driving behavior, but you can be a little extra cautious. Whether you’re taking your evening stroll or just trying to get safely out of your driveway, make sure you always look both ways for any delivery trucks in the area.
If you are injured in a crash with a delivery truck, remember: You have a right to seek compensation for your losses.