Truck Accident Statistics For UPS
United Parcel Service, Inc. (UPS) is freight company based in Atlanta. With 118,498 drivers across the United States, UPS is one of the largest trucking companies in the industry. In 2018 alone, UPS drivers were on the road for 2,919,242,771 miles.
Given the number of miles traveled, it probably isn’t surprising that UPS trucks were in a significant number of crashes in the 24 months prior to September 27, 2019. UPS vehicles were involved in 2,344 crashes in this time frame, including 58 fatal accidents and 853 involving injuries. 1,433 accidents required a tow truck.
UPS Company Snapshot: What Types of Trucks Are on the Road for UPS?
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) collects data on trucking companies, which it then makes available through its SAFER system. This information helps us to understand more about the types of commercial motor vehicles operating on our state and federal highways. UPS’ 125,949 vehicles are authorized for hire on interstate highways for general freight.
UPS has three types of vehicles. It owns 98,485 straight trucks, 27,164 truck tractors, and 96,285 trailers. Together, these vehicles traveled nearly 3 billion miles in 2018.
How Safe is UPS?
In addition to gathering basic data about a trucking company’s operations, the FMSCA collects information about crashes that its vehicles are involved in as well as any types of violations that it may have incurred (drivers and/or vehicles). This information can be used to get an idea of the safety record of a trucking company such as UPS.
In the 24 month period of time ending on September 27, 2019, UPS drivers were cited 1,788 times for unsafe driving violations. None of these violations were for acute or critical violations. However, each violation — such as texting while driving, improper turns, and following too close — could lead to an accident, with seriously or deadly results.
In that same time frame, FMCSA inspectors conducted 13,574 inspections of UPS drivers. They found 2 drug and alcohol violations, 239 driver fitness violations and 312 hours of service compliance violations. Although the FMCSA did not categorize any of these violations as acute or critical, each of these violations has the potential to be critical.
The two drug and alcohol violations involved different degrees of severity. In the first violation, a driver was under the influence of a narcotic drug while driving. In the second, a driver was in possession of an alcoholic beverage while driving.
Driver fitness violations generally involve a failure to follow the laws governing a person’s ability to drive a commercial motor vehicle. A violation of these laws may be a simple paperwork error, like forgetting to bring your medical certificate with you. Alternatively, it may be a serious matter, such as driving a vehicle that you are not qualified to drive — putting the health and safety of others in jeopardy.
Hours of service violations involve breaking the rules about how long a driver can be on the road without a break (or how long a break must be). These rules are critical, as driving a large truck or other vehicle while drowsy in order to meet a tight deadline can be a driving force for accidents. UPS drivers had 312 hours of service violations, for issues such as driving beyond an 11 or 14 hour limit in a given time period.
In the same 24 month period, FMCSA conducted 9,278 vehicle inspections. In doing so, they found 2,456 vehicle maintenance violations for issues such as no reflective material affixed, a missing front bumper, improper lamp mounting, and a defective parking brake system. As with other violation types, any of these vehicle maintenance issues could lead to an accident with a passenger vehicle or any other vehicle on the roadway.
Finally, UPS trucks were involved in 2,344 accidents in a 24 month period. In 2018, its trucks drove 2,919,242,771 miles. Its drivers were effectively in one accident for every 2,499,354 vehicle mile traveled, making UPS a comparatively safe trucking company.
If You Are in an Accident with a UPS Truck
With nearly 126,000 trucks across the United States, it is hard to navigate the roadways without seeing a UPS truck. Although the provide a necessary service, if a driver isn’t operating the vehicle safely or if the truck isn’t well-maintained, it could lead to an accident.
At Solnick & Associates, we are committed to working with victims of truck accidents, including those who have been struck by UPS trucks. We understand how devastating these crashes can be, and will work hard to help you get the compensation that you deserve. To learn more or to schedule a free initial consultation with a Philadelphia truck accident attorney, contact our firm today at 215-481-9979 or reach out online anytime.
