For many consumers, online shopping is about as good as shopping gets. From the comfort of your home, you can browse a seemingly infinite number of products on your phone or computer until you find the exact thing you are looking for, and then you can have it delivered to your home, often within the period of a few days.

Even though online shopping can be gratifying, the convenience may come with a cost that is much higher than shoppers expect.

Dangerous Deliveries

In recent years, many journalists have researched how large online retailers are influencing our lives, the areas in which we live, how we order our food, how we move around our cities, etc.

Many journalists have also focused on the negative societal consequences of these companies. In terms of delivery infrastructure, increased numbers of delivery vehicles mean:

  • Increased traffic
  • Increased levels of pollution
  • Increased wear on roads
  • More traffic accidents

Liability for Delivery Accidents

If a driver who works for a traditional courier, e.g., UPS, USPS, FedEx, etc., causes an accident, the driver and the courier will probably be legally accountable for the damages. However, liability is often less clear with online retailers.

According to several sources, online retailers often pressure their delivery drivers to fulfill orders faster, resulting in labor disputes and tragic accidents. Many driver have reported being pressured into skipping meals, bathroom breaks, or any breaks at all.

Drivers have also reported that they have been forced to work overtime to deliver every package they are given —sometimes hundreds of packages— without being given overtime pay. This constant pressure and fast pace are believed to have been the cause of dozens of delivery accidents.

Even though online shopping can create all kinds of opportunities for individuals and businesses, those opportunities come at a cost. A significant decision consumers may have to make in the coming years is whether or not that cost is worth paying.

  • Fault and Liability for Car Accidents (FindLaw’s Learn About the Law)
  • If You Hate Traffic, Curb Your Love for Online Shopping (Wired)
  • After a Car Accident (FindLaw’s Learn About the Law)

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