<\/p>\n

Online Shopping Surge Lead To More Trucks And Accidents On The Roads<\/h1>\n

When the COVID Pandemic forced many to quarantine from home, home delivery services, in particular Amazon, saw their business boom. That boom, however, resulted in more large commercial trucks on the road and more truck accidents<\/a>. According to a report by the Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety<\/a>, deaths from truck accidents increased by 48% from 2009 to 2019.<\/p>\n

As of 2019, there a reported 2 million<\/a> heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers. This includes 300,000 to 500,000 long-haul truckers. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics expects the number of trucking jobs to increase by 2%<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The effect of Amazon\u2019s growing business on the number of trucks on the road cannot be underestimated. While there are no specific hard numbers on how much of the truck increase is due to Amazon, there are stories that Amazon has caused increased demand<\/a> for trucks and truck capacity. Common sense dictates that as Amazon sales increase, the more trucks will be servicing Amazon\u2019s needs.<\/p>\n

Amazon is not alone in contributing to the trucks on the roads. In trying to keep up with Amazon, other retailers, including Walmart, have offered free shipping. This means even more trucks on the roads. More trucks results not just in congestion but more crashes, traffic fatalities, and injuries.<\/p>\n

To satisfy the demand, Amazon has relied on its own fleet, as well as contracting with freelance or independent truck drivers and other commercial transporters. According to reports<\/a>, Amazon has emerged as the fourth largest delivery company<\/a> in the nation, it has also relied on a network of small trucking companies and owner-operators. In either case, Amazon controls the drivers\u2019 schedule. The New York Times reported<\/a> that \u201cAmazon requires that 999 out of 1,000 deliveries arrive on time, according to work orders obtained from contractors with drivers in eight states.\u201d<\/p>\n

Their paychecks are signed by hundreds of companies, but often Amazon directs, through an app, the order of the deliveries and the route to each destination. Amazon software tracks drivers\u2019 progress, and a dispatcher in an Amazon warehouse can call them if they fall behind schedule. Amazon requires that 999 out of 1,000 deliveries arrive on time, according to work orders obtained from contractors with drivers in eight states.<\/p>\n