When a food delivery driver causes a wreck, who is liable?

DoorDash, Grubhub, Uber Eats and your local pizza delivery drivers are probably familiar sights to you by now, whether you’re out on the road running errands or just looking out the window for your own delivery to arrive.

Unfortunately, delivery drivers actually have a really dangerous job — and that puts both their lives and the lives of others at risk.

High-demand deliveries can lead to bad accidents

There are numerous dangers out there for food delivery drivers, but the hazards they pose to others isn’t insignificant. Way back in 1993, for example, Domino’s ended it’s 30-minute delivery guarantee over deadly accident claims caused by their drivers — but that hasn’t stopped the problem. Many independent restaurants still push their drivers to meet guarantees in fear of losing customers.

Other factors also contribute to the number of accidents involving food delivery drivers, like drivers who are:

• Young and inexperienced
• Trying to navigate unfamiliar streets
• Distracted by their own navigational devices or radios
• Too tired to be behind the wheel

By no means are pizza delivery drivers alone in their faults. There are plenty of people working independently for DoorDash and the competition as side-gigs. Some may rush their routes because more deliveries mean more money and better tips.

Determining who is liable for your injuries can be challenging

When a delivery driver hits your car, you can end up with serious injuries. If they hit you while you’re walking or riding a bike, the damage could be even worse.

Figuring out where liability lies — including whether you can pursue a claim against the company behind their service — has gotten increasingly complicated thanks to the “independent contractor” nature of many of these drivers.

The wisest option you have after a wreck with a delivery driver is to speak with an attorney here in Manassas about a personal injury claim.