Next-day deliveries from Amazon’s enormous delivery network are contributing to accidents, injuries, and deaths of innocent civilians across the country.
Amazon Under Fire for Delivery Accidents
According to a New York Times investigation, at least 10 people have died from Amazon delivery accidents since 2015. The investigation focuses on the pressure put on Amazon’s contract delivery drivers to deliver next-day shipments within a limited time frame. The New York Times report follows an earlier Buzzfeed news report that focuses on Amazon’s decentralized delivery system and denial of responsibility when delivery accidents occur.
In one accident case, a nine-month-old baby was killed after an Amazon delivery driver crashed into the back of the mother’s vehicle. The driver stated he was running late and failed to see the car in front of him in time to avoid the crash.
In another case, an 84-year-old grandmother was killed in Chicago when an Amazon delivery driver hit her while delivering packages during the Christmas season. The driver stated he was racing to get next-day deliveries made during the Christmas rush and did not see the woman crossing the street.
According to investigative reports, Amazon directs and tracks all drivers’ delivery routes, as well as package deliveries with hand scanners. If a driver gets behind in his/her schedule, a dispatcher in an Amazon warehouse can call the driver directly. In eight different states, work orders obtained showed that Amazon requires 999 out of 1,000 deliveries to arrive on time. Drivers involved in accidents and injuries say Amazon effectively acts as their employer because they retain so much control over daily schedules and actions.
Amazon’s contracted drivers work under rigorous demands to deliver hundreds of packages each shift for a flat rate of about $160 a day. Drivers say they are urged to skip bathroom breaks, meals, and rest breaks to ensure delivery of all scheduled packages on time. Amazon’s “no package left behind” policy urges dispatchers to keep as many delivery vans on the road as possible to complete scheduled deliveries. Drivers say they often deliver up to 250 packages per day, which allows less than two minutes per package during an eight-hour shift.
By contracting with third-party companies like Inpax who employ delivery drivers, Amazon avoids liability for delivery accidents, injuries, and fatalities that result in car accident claims and wrongful death lawsuits with accident lawyers.