Avoidable Accident while parked

UPSmechanicinblue

Well-Known Member
Just wondering if this is something new or if others have seen this happen in there area in the past. Recently we had a driver parked in driveway and as he was making a delivery to the house the customer backs into the package car. Driver was not in car but is being charged with an avoidable accident due to they shouldn't of backed into driveway I believe. Any others hear of this happening?
 

User Name

Only 230 Today?? lol
Rule number 1, stay out of driveways. I will not go into a driveway unless it is a dead end or a mile long. Anything else I just won't take the risk. I have seen several accidents and they are all avoidable now. So at least controll the ones that you can.
 

soberups

Pees in the brown Koolaid
It happens here all the time. It is simply a way for the management team involved to meet the monthly quota of warning letters that they are required to generate in order to remain relevant.

The reality is this; we are not contractually entitled to receive safe driving awards, and in any case the company has stopped issuing them. Therefore, being "charged" with an such accident is basically meaningless, as there are no consequences attached to it. No disciplinary action against a driver would ever be upheld based upon being hit while parked.
 

soberups

Pees in the brown Koolaid
Yes. We have been told to stay out of residential driveways. The accident was avoidable as he should not have been in the driveway.


Your route must be in some sort of perfect world where there are no dead-end streets and there is an unlimited supply of legal, on-street parking.

In the real world that the rest of us deliver in, sometimes there is no alternative but to back into and park in a residential driveway.
 

UpstateNYUPSer(Ret)

Well-Known Member
Your route must be in some sort of perfect world where there are no dead-end streets and there is an unlimited supply of legal, on-street parking.

In the real world that the rest of us deliver in, sometimes there is no alternative but to back into and park in a residential driveway.


Sober, what I said was we have been told to stay out of residential driveways. I never said that I stay out of residential driveways although I do try to plan ahead to keep it to an absolute minimum. I would say that if I go in to 5 residential driveways in a day that would be a lot--it is usually 2-3.
 

brownmonster

Man of Great Wisdom
We had a driver a couple of years ago that stopped home on his route for lunch. While his truck was parked in front of the house, his wife left and backed into it.
 

UPSGUY72

Well-Known Member
Parking in driveways is not a good idea unless your on a bad section of the Rd that could casue other people to get into accidents or hit you. However in saying that management will always find a way to say there was a better choice.
 

Dustyroads

Well-Known Member
I drive down about 40 driveways a day. I'm guessing most of you boys don't deliver in the country. I haven't hit anything in a driveway in 31 years.
 
I drive down about 40 driveways a day. I'm guessing most of you boys don't deliver in the country. I haven't hit anything in a driveway in 31 years.
I'm in the country but I walk alot more off now than i used to. Its just not worth it anymore management dosen't back the driver anymore its always your fault.
 

toonertoo

Most Awesome Dog
Staff member
I will go around the block before I will park in a driveway, country is diiferent, and that is not where those accidents are happening. I dont think. Other than sliding off one on the ice and snow, you are pretty safe in the country. Idiot people who cant fathom to look in their own driveway before backing up seems to be the problem, most of those are city ites. We have had complaints that the driveways get damaged, the lawn gets damaged, on and on. So the bosses said, its a paycheck to them, stay out of them. Walk it off if possible. I for once agree. UPS should have $$ signs on the side of the truck. People think they win the lottery when we damage something or hit them.
 

dilligaf

IN VINO VERITAS
I drive down about 40 driveways a day. I'm guessing most of you boys don't deliver in the country. I haven't hit anything in a driveway in 31 years.

LMAO Dusty!!!! Most of these city folk wouldn't know a country driveway if it jumped up and bit em. :happy-very: Country livin is the life for me......................................
 

Re-Raise

Well-Known Member
I'm in the country but I walk alot more off now than i used to. Its just not worth it anymore management dosen't back the driver anymore its always your fault.

So you park on the highway ? I don't back any further than I have to , but I can't see how it would be safer to leave my truck parked in the road.
 

SWORDFISH

Well-Known Member
This arguement that is being made is being made from to many different angles. Im sure all of us are good enough drivers to know if we should be going into 1 driveway or 60 in a day. I know for instance depending on the route I do I will go down zero driveways or 80 driveways. As far as accidents go if you are involved in one its your fault. We are professionals. That is UPS moto.
 

JustTired

free at last.......
Many, many years ago I was delivering to a farm house. Almost all rural houses use the back door as the main point of entry. I parked on the road and walked to the back of the house, sat the pkg on the porch and started walking back. I got to the back corner of the house when I heard a dog start barking. I turned to see a dog running full tilt towards me with an older lady at the barn (about 50 yds away) yelling at the dog at the top of her lungs. No way I could outrun the dog back to the truck, so I stopped and faced the dog. To this day I don't know how that woman got to that dog so quick, but all ended well and she apologized for the dog. That was the last time I parked on the road at that house. Actually, it changed my perspective on delivering to most rural houses. If it was a back door delivery, I got as close as safely possible before exiting the PC. I'll take my chances with not hitting anything as opposed to a dog bite. By the way, I was bitten 5-6 times over my 25 yr career. Nothing drastic (didn't break the skin)....but it still hurts.
 

65Goat

Well-Known Member
I've always said a meteor could come crashing out of the sky and smash your PC and it would be considered your fault. "You didn't have the Big Picture" they would cry! I've had an accident where a person came flying out of their driveway without looking and T-Boned me. I swerved as best I could and the policeman even said I did a great job to minimize the damage. Guess what? It was my fault and was an "avoidable" accident. Like soberups said, it's a way for management to appear relevant.
 

fxdwg

Long Time Member
I don't think everyone is being fair to management on this thread. A lot of "stuff" happens over the years. Most of it is positive...Let me rephrase; Most of it is overwhelmingly positive, but it seems like it's those one and two events that seem to keep coming up, over and over again. Of course management is "relevant". This company could not function without them.
I don't know how many people have worked at other companies or in other industries, but UPS is actually the best of the best.
It seems like the Fedex guys that post on BC seem to also have issues with management. Are they as screwed up as everyone portrays UPS to be on BC? Not just this thread, but pretty much ALL threads. The same junk creeps into almost every discussion.
 

Re-Raise

Well-Known Member
Just wondering if this is something new or if others have seen this happen in there area in the past. Recently we had a driver parked in driveway and as he was making a delivery to the house the customer backs into the package car. Driver was not in car but is being charged with an avoidable accident due to they shouldn't of backed into driveway I believe. Any others hear of this happening?

They can charge you if you are legally parked in a parking space. I have seen it happen.
 

Raw

Raw Member
I`m not understanding this avoidable quote crap. An accident by definition means accidently. Then UPS comes in after the fact? If we did this or that then? Huh? IF IF If is vague and assuming? Frustrates me!!! :whiteflag:
 

over9five

Moderator
Staff member
........................... avoidable................. accident ................. UPS .................. If ................ Huh? IF IF If........... vague and assuming? Frustrate................

I have edited your post so that you would better comprehend the UPS avoidable accident policy.

Now you understand, Grasshopper....
 
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