This holiday shopping season is shaping up to be a bit different than in years past. While e-commerce is still predicted to be huge (once again), shoppers are largely starting a lot earlier than usual due to concerns with supply chain problems and shipping delays.
What does that mean for the average person? For one thing, there are going to be a lot more delivery trucks in your neighborhood, earlier in the season than normal.
How to protect yourself and your family from an accident
It’s frustrating to think that you might not be safe just walking around in your own neighborhood — but that’s the reality. Delivery drivers contend with a lot of problems that can contribute to distracted driving and accidents. For example:
- They may be in unfamiliar areas where they don’t know the streets, which means they may be paying more attention to a guidance system than the road in front of them.
- They may be struggling to find street signs and house numbers that are obscured by the dark, foliage or poor placement, which — again — distracts them from the road.
- They may be delivering in the dark, especially once Daylight Saving Time ends, and that could make it hard for them to see pedestrians walking their dogs or just taking an evening stroll.
- The roads may be slick with ice and snow as the season goes on. That means they’re at risk of sliding around and hitting someone because they can’t control their vehicles.
- They may be driving faster than normal to try to keep pace with the demands of their job, and that can make it hard to brake when an adult or child suddenly steps into the crosswalk.
You hope that everybody in your family will stay safe this winter — but accidents are hard to predict. If you or a loved one is injured by a delivery vehicle, make sure you fully explore your legal options for compensation.
