More people are buying things online than ever before. This means there’s an increased need for private shipping services like UPS and FedEx. Combined, these two companies operate over 250,000 trucks across the United States. With so many trucks on the road, UPS and FedEx truck accidents are almost inevitable. According to FMCSA data, FedEx trucks were involved in 2,762 accidents in the 24 months prior to February 2026, and UPS trucks were involved in 2,302 accidents in that same period. These delivery truck accidents caused at least 1,768 injuries and 123 fatalities.
That’s 5,064 accidents in just two years – an average of nearly seven FedEx and UPS truck accidents every day. Accidents involving FedEx and UPS vehicles aren’t uncommon in New York City. Busy, congested streets can make it difficult for drivers to deliver their packages and get to their destinations safely. When you consider that many FedEx and UPS drivers are under a lot of pressure to complete their routes within a fairly short amount of time, the odds that they’ll make a mistake or get too aggressive at the wheel and cause accidents are pretty high.
What Causes Most FedEx and UPS Accidents in New York City?
FedEx, UPS, and other delivery services like Amazon are required to comply with strict safety regulations established by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and New York State law. These regulations:
- Require FedEx and UPS to hire safe, qualified, and properly licensed drivers to operate their commercial vehicles.
- Impose hours of service limitations on UPS and FedEx drivers, restricting the amount of time they can spend behind the wheel in a given period of time.
- Mandate thorough, frequent inspections of all tractor-trailers, semi-trucks, and other vehicles operated by the transportation and delivery companies.
- Require UPS and FedEx drivers to abstain from operating box trucks and other delivery vehicles while under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
- Impose important cargo placement and securement protocols to reduce the likelihood of lost loads, rollover truck accidents, and other problems while vehicles are in transit.
We begin to see problems and accidents involving FedEx and UPS vehicles when these important safety rules are ignored or not taken seriously. That’s why some of the leading causes of truck accidents involving UPS and Federal Express vehicles include:
- Distracted driving
- Speeding
- Following too closely
- Blind spot errors
- Improperly loaded and/or secured cargo
- Stopping or parking improperly
- Braking errors
- Drunk driving
- Drugged driving
- Illegal turns
- Wide turns
- Failing to signal before turning
- Unsafe lane changes
- Failing to yield the right of way to other vehicles when merging
- Vehicle malfunctions and defects
Factors beyond a trucking company or truck driver’s control can also contribute to these accidents. Those include potholes and other road defects, obstructed signage, road construction, illegally parked vehicles, bad weather, and third-party negligence.
Can I Sue UPS or FedEx After a Truck Accident?
Yes, if you’re injured in an accident with a FedEx truck or UPS truck in New York City, NY, because the truck’s driver or the company was negligent, you can typically file a lawsuit for damages if your injuries are “serious.”
New York’s no-fault rules require you to seek benefits from your insurance company first.
If your injuries meet the serious injury threshold, you can then seek compensation from the at-fault party. UPS and FedEx can be liable for their own negligence – like hiring unqualified drivers, failing to inspect their vehicles regularly, or encouraging drivers to violate FMCSA regulations – or vicariously negligent for driver errors. Either way, the company can be on the hook for the costs of your medical care, lost wages, property damage, pain and suffering, and other damages after a truck accident.
You’ll be able to file an insurance claim with FedEx’s or UPS’s insurance company. These powerful companies are required to carry insurance policies with considerably high limits, especially if they’re moving across state lines or hauling hazardous materials. If your damages exceed what their insurance policy will pay, you can seek additional compensation by suing the freight service directly.
Under New York state law, you can actually seek compensation from anyone who contributed to an accident with a FedEx or UPS vehicle. This might include the driver of another passenger vehicle, another commercial transportation service, a government agency like the MTA, or a vehicle manufacturer. Damages are proportionate to fault. The more someone bears responsibility for a UPS accident or FedEx accident, the more they’ll be expected to cover the costs of resulting damages.
Call The Platta Law Firm for Help After a UPS or FedEx Truck Accident in New York City
Hiring an experienced New York truck accident attorney to help you stand up to a powerful company like UPS or FedEx can make a huge difference as you fight for compensation for your truck accident injuries. Truck accident victims in New York City trust The Platta Law Firm. We’re award-winning litigators with over 150 years of combined experience fighting for the rights of the injured. Our innovative, aggressive legal strategies have helped us win hundreds of millions for our clients.
You have a limited time to file a FedEx or UPS truck accident lawsuit in New York, so now’s the time to take action. Contact our personal injury law firm in New York City at (212) 514-5100 to schedule a free consultation today.