UPS drivers are supposed to take a longer, safer route

Drivers for UPS know that there is great value in avoiding traffic crashes. Clearly, public safety is at the heart of this matter, as they seek to keep others out of the hospital by eliminating dangerous accidents. There is also the financial side, though, since even a minor crash can really impact their productivity or ability to work.

One way that UPS focuses on safety is by telling drivers that they generally need to avoid turning left. This may mean taking a longer path to get to the next drop-off. For instance, a driver may go all the way around the block, turning right three times, just to avoid one left. That could add minutes to the trip.

Overall, though, UPS has found that it is good for business. Left turns are vastly more dangerous than right turns. The two big reasons for this are that a vehicle that turns left has to cross an oncoming traffic lane and that drivers must make judgment calls to see if they have enough space to turn. Even if a driver makes the right decision 99 times out of 100, that’s still more dangerous than having the driver turn right, when he or she doesn’t have to make the same judgment call at all.

The truth is that it would be safer if all drivers stopped turning left, especially at places that are not controlled by a traffic light. That’s not going to happen, but UPS leads the way in showing why it should.

Though this rule may reduce accidents with commercial vehicles, nothing completely prevents them. If you get injured in a crash with a commercial driver, you need to know how to seek compensation for your losses. It’s smart to seek a consultation with an experienced attorney about your case.