According to federal safety data, UPS vehicles are involved in roughly three to four crashes every day across the United States, with nearly 1,200 injury-producing crashes and around 73 fatal crashes recorded in a recent two-year period alone.
As e-commerce has grown, delivery activity in the United States has increased, and scheduling pressures may contribute to more crashes. When a vehicle weighing up to 40,000 pounds collides with a passenger car, the consequences for the people inside are often severe.
UPS Truck Accident Statistics in the United States
UPS operates a large fleet of delivery vehicles and employs many drivers who together travel extensive distances each year. With that kind of volume on the road, accidents are an unfortunate reality.
Here is what the federal crash data shows for a recent two-year reporting period:
- Total crashes: Approximately 2,900 UPS-involved crashes nationwide
- Crashes with injuries: Nearly 1,200 incidents where someone was hurt
- Fatal crashes: Around 73 crashes that resulted in a death
These numbers make it clear that accidents with UPS trucks are not rare events. They happen every day, and the trend is getting worse.
Why Are UPS Truck Crashes on the Rise?
The growth of online shopping is the biggest driver behind the increase in delivery truck crashes. More packages mean more trucks, more routes, and more time spent in neighborhoods that were never designed for large commercial vehicles.
During peak seasons, UPS hires temporary drivers and expands its delivery routes to handle increased package volume. That means less experienced drivers are navigating unfamiliar streets under intense time pressure.
More deliveries are also happening in the evening and after dark. That creates added risk for pedestrians, cyclists, and anyone near a driveway or residential street in Missouri.
What Types of Crashes Do UPS Trucks Cause?
A fully loaded UPS truck is significantly heavier than a passenger car, which can greatly increase the severity of a collision. That kind of mass changes everything about how a crash happens and how serious the injuries can be.
Rear-End Crashes
UPS trucks need much more distance to stop than a regular car. Drivers often brake suddenly while searching for an address, which leaves the vehicle behind them no time to react.
Wide and Left-Turn Crashes
Large delivery trucks need extra room to complete a turn. Drivers often swing wide into neighboring lanes, which can trap or strike smaller vehicles traveling alongside them.
Lane Change and Blind Spot Crashes
UPS trucks have large blind spots on all four sides. Accidents happen when drivers change lanes without seeing a car, motorcycle, or bicycle that is already there.
Rollovers and Jackknife Crashes
A jackknife crash happens when the rear of the truck swings out sideways from the cab, much like a folding pocketknife. Because of their high center of gravity, UPS trucks can also roll over on sharp curves or uneven pavement.
Runaway Truck Incidents
When a driver fails to set the parking brake during a delivery stop, the truck can roll freely down a slope. These incidents can cause serious damage to vehicles, property, and anyone nearby.
What Causes UPS Truck Accidents?
These crashes rarely happen without a reason. Federal safety records include unsafe driving citations involving UPS drivers, indicating several recurring causes.
Driver Fatigue
UPS drivers frequently work long shifts that combine extended periods of driving with physically demanding package handling. Fatigue slows reaction time and impairs judgment in ways that can be just as dangerous as distracted driving.
Distracted Driving
Delivery drivers are constantly juggling tasks. They use handheld GPS devices, scan packages, and search for house numbers, all while operating a massive vehicle in traffic.
Speeding and Following Too Closely
Tight delivery schedules push drivers to move faster than is safe. Speeding and following other vehicles too closely are among the most common violations recorded for commercial delivery drivers.
Shifting Cargo
If packages inside the truck are not loaded and secured properly, they can shift while the truck is moving. Unbalanced cargo makes the truck harder to control and increases the risk of a rollover.
Equipment Failure
Brake wear, tire blowouts, and steering failures can all cause a driver to lose control. While UPS maintains its fleet, mechanical failures do happen and can be the result of skipped or inadequate maintenance.
Who Is Responsible After a UPS Truck Accident?
After an accident with a UPS truck, more than one party may be legally responsible. Identifying every liable party is one of the most important steps in building a strong claim.
Because UPS directly employs most of its drivers, the company is typically responsible for their actions under a legal rule called vicarious liability. Vicarious liability means an employer can be held accountable for harm caused by an employee who was acting within the scope of their job.
Depending on what caused the crash, potentially liable parties can include:
- The UPS driver: For negligent actions like speeding, distracted driving, or fatigued driving
- UPS the company: For inadequate training, poor hiring practices, or failure to maintain its vehicles
- Third-party mechanics: If a faulty repair contributed to a brake or tire failure
- Cargo loading contractors: If improperly loaded packages caused the driver to lose control
- Parts manufacturers: If a defective component like a tire or braking system failed
It is also worth knowing that Missouri follows a pure comparative fault rule. This means you can still recover compensation even if you were partially at fault for the crash, though your total award would be reduced by your share of the blame.
What Evidence Can Prove Fault in a UPS Truck Accident?
Proving fault against a large company like UPS requires quick action. UPS sends its own investigators to accident scenes fast, and critical evidence can be lost or overwritten within days.
Dashcams and the Truck’s Black Box
Most UPS trucks carry an Event Data Recorder, which works like an airplane’s black box. It captures speed, braking, and steering data from the moments before a crash. Many trucks also have road-facing and in-cab cameras that can show exactly what happened.
Driver Logs and Hours of Service Records
Federal law requires commercial drivers to log their driving and rest hours. These records can reveal whether a driver was fatigued or violating safety regulations at the time of the crash.
Maintenance and Inspection Records
UPS is required to document every inspection, repair, and maintenance check on its vehicles. A history of skipped maintenance or unresolved mechanical problems can be powerful evidence of negligence.
Delivery Scanner and Route Data
Every UPS driver carries a handheld scanner that tracks their location and delivery times. This data can show whether a driver was rushing between stops or under pressure from an unrealistic schedule.
What Should You Do After a Crash With a UPS Truck?
The steps you take immediately after an accident can protect both your health and your legal rights.
Call 911 and Get Medical Attention
Call the police right away and get checked by a medical professional, even if you feel okay. Injuries like concussions, internal bleeding, and soft tissue damage often do not show symptoms until hours or days later.
Document the Scene
If you are able to do so safely, take photos and videos of everything at the scene. Capture the damage to all vehicles, the truck’s license plate, and any numbers printed on the side of the UPS truck. Get the names and contact details of any witnesses.
Do Not Give a Statement to UPS or Its Insurer
UPS’s insurance company may call you within hours of the crash. Do not give a recorded statement or sign anything without speaking to an attorney first. Adjusters are trained to ask questions in ways that can reduce or deny your claim.
Call a Missouri Truck Accident Lawyer Right Away
An experienced personal injury attorney can immediately send a legal preservation letter to UPS, which requires them to hold onto dashcam footage, black box data, and other evidence before it is erased.
What Compensation Can You Recover in Missouri?
If a UPS driver’s negligence caused your injuries, you have the right to seek compensation for everything the crash has cost you. Missouri law allows you to recover three main types of damages.
| Damage Type | What It Covers |
| Economic Damages | Medical bills, future medical care, lost wages, reduced earning capacity, and vehicle repair or replacement |
| Non-Economic Damages | Pain and suffering, emotional distress, permanent disability, scarring, and loss of enjoyment of life |
| Punitive Damages | Awarded in rare cases to punish extreme recklessness and deter similar conduct in the future |
| Wrongful Death Damages | Funeral costs, lost financial support, and loss of companionship for surviving family members |
UPS and other commercial carriers are required to carry much higher insurance policy limits than regular drivers. While that means more coverage is available, their insurers also fight much harder to minimize what they pay out.
Skilled Missouri UPS Truck Accident Lawyers
We know how overwhelming this situation can feel. You are dealing with injuries, medical bills, and a large corporation with its own legal team. You should not have to face that alone.
At Beck & Beck Missouri Car Accident Lawyers, we are a family-run firm that focuses exclusively on Missouri auto accident law. We help Missouri families recover from serious crashes and guide them through every step of the legal process.
We handle every part of your claim so you can focus on getting better. That includes managing all communication with the insurance company, sending immediate preservation letters for truck evidence, and helping coordinate your medical care.
While Missouri generally gives you five years to file a personal injury claim, evidence in a commercial truck case can disappear in days. The sooner you call, the better protected your claim will be.
We offer free consultations, we are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and you pay nothing unless we win. Contact us online to speak with an experienced Missouri truck accident lawyer today.
UPS Truck Accident FAQ
Are UPS Drivers Employees or Independent Contractors?
Most UPS drivers who operate the familiar brown trucks are direct employees of the company, which generally makes UPS responsible for their negligence on the job. However, seasonal drivers during the holidays may use their own personal vehicles, which can change how liability is determined.
Can I Get UPS Dashcam Footage After a Crash?
Yes, but you need to act quickly because footage is often overwritten within days of an accident. We can send a legal preservation letter to UPS immediately to prevent that evidence from being destroyed.
Will UPS Pay for My Rental Car and Vehicle Repairs?
If the UPS driver was at fault, their insurance should cover your property damage and a temporary rental vehicle. Delays are common while their insurer investigates the claim, so we can help push for faster payment or advise you on using your own coverage in the meantime.
What If a UPS Seasonal Driver in a Personal Vehicle Hit Me?
Claims involving seasonal Personal Vehicle Drivers can be more complicated because both the driver’s personal auto insurance and UPS’s commercial policy may be involved. Our skilled attorneys will investigate the exact working arrangement and identify every available source of compensation.
Does Partial Fault on My Part Affect My UPS Accident Claim?
Under Missouri’s pure comparative fault rule, you can still recover compensation even if you were partly responsible for the crash. Your total award would simply be reduced by the percentage of fault assigned to you.
