During the holiday season, truck collisions in Florida City and surrounding areas are a concern. This time of year is very busy and even with supply chain issues this year, there are more trucks on the road, which can result in truck accidents.
There are many reasons why we may see an increase in trucking collisions this holiday season:
More deliveries and trucks on the road: The holiday season is also the busiest retail season. More stores are ordering inventory and resupplying, which means more trucks are needed to deliver all the bargains and holiday specials to stores.
More traffic on the road in general: In addition to more trucks on the road, there are more cars heading to holiday events and stores. In parking lots, there are more pedestrians walking around with packages and purchases.
- More DUIs: Unfortunately, during the holiday season there is also often an increase in drunk driving incidents in Florida City and across the country. People are heading to events where alcohol may be served and may not always make the right choice about driving after they have been drinking.
- The flu season: With more people interacting, the flu can spread easily and of course this year COVID-19 is still an issue. Illness and over-the-counter medications can make it harder for drivers to stay safe on the roads because symptoms can lead to poor sleep, fatigue, and difficulty focusing.
- Tighter deadlines: Everyone feels the time pressure during the holidays. Truck drivers face tighter deadlines, which makes is more tempting to speed or to skip rest. Passenger car drivers may be distracted by their own holiday to-do lists and may be at risk of collisions.
- New drivers: Trucking companies and stores offering deliveries often hire new drivers around this time of year. New drivers may not be familiar with the routes for deliveries or may not have the experience of more seasoned drivers. Companies are still responsible for hiring only qualified drivers, however, and if they fail to hire reasonably, they can be held liable if their negligence leads to an accident and injury.
- More demand for deliveries: Many shoppers save time by having holiday purchases delivered. This can mean more trucks and drivers on the road, which can increase congestion.
- Supply chain issues: This year, especially, supply chain issues have placed more pressures on trucking companies to hire truck drivers and have placed additional pressure on truck drivers to make more deliveries.
- Weather delays: While Florida truck drivers don’t need to worry about snowstorms, drivers coming from out-of-state may encounter bad weather which slows down their trip. With poor conditions and short deadlines, drivers may be tempted to sleep on rest time or may be pressured to speed when they are in Florida to make up time lost.
Despite the challenges of the holiday season, trucking companies and truck drivers still have an obligation to drive safely. If they are negligent and their negligence causes a collision which causes you injuries, you may have a legal claim. If you have been injured in a trucking collision in Florida City you can call 1-866-352-9626 (1-866-FLAXMAN) for a free accident consultation with a Flaxman Law Group team member. A Florida City trucking collision injury claims attorney can help you explore your options.