The added traffic due to Instacart drivers creates a threat for other drivers sharing the roads. If you have been injured in an accident caused by an Instacart driver, contact us today to discuss your options for legal recourse.
Instacart Accidents in Visalia
Instacart drivers may save you from having to hop in your own car, but that doesn’t mean there are fewer cars on the road. Instacart drivers and other rideshare employees actually add a lot of traffic to local highways. Each grocery order dialed up on the Instacart app means another driver hitting the streets who may be distracted by multiple shopping lists at once. Through the nature of their duties behind the wheel, these delivery drivers may put you in danger the next time you drive.
Instacart Driver Dangers on Visalia Roadways
We all fall prey to distracted driving temptations at times, but it would be different if you ran your business at the wheel of a 2000 pound vehicle. Any order problem, confusing customer issue, or a personal matter can be a deadly distraction when you drive alongside hundreds of other cars each day. And that’s not to mention the biggest distraction tool of all, the cellphone. A handy tool that Instacart employees couldn’t work without.
The dozens of reasons for being distracted can be boiled down to three main distinctions. Experts (NHTSA) came up with the categories that cover just about any form of distraction drivers can experience on the road:
- Visual – When you are enticed to remove your eyes from the road. An Instacart driver’s long glance at the app. Seeking an unfamiliar grocery store. Getting an update on an order. These can all lead to workers making a move that leads to an accident.
- Manual – These distractions cause you to remove your hands from the wheel. Tapping or swiping an app to accept an order. Holding a cellphone. Grabbing a bag of groceries before it slides and tips over. Smoking or adjusting a radio can be manual distractions.
- Daydreaming – Also known as cognitive distractions. The mind drifts off. Especially after a hard day or night. A disagreement with a customer or bad rating can occupy a driver’s mind for the rest of the week. Personal problems at home and even a lack of sleep can lead to daydreaming and inattentive driving.
These factors can endanger any driver and the occupants of any vehicles who happen to be traveling the same highways and roads. Combining these distractions can only increase the chance that a mistake will be made.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Instacart carry insurance in case of accidents?
No. Instacart doesn’t provide accident coverage to people injured by their drivers. Instacart drivers themselves can be offered coverage if they are injured, but not anyone in another vehicle.
If you are injured in an accident with an Instacart driver, you’ll likely have to try to recover compensation from the driver’s personal insurance company. This may be a dead-end though because Insurance companies have been known to deny coverage to policyholders if they were working for Instacart when a collision occurred. If this is the outcome, victims may end up having to file a claim on their own uninsured/underinsured coverage.
Does Instacart have to take any blame in an accident?
In some circumstances, Instacart can be forced to accept liability after an accident. An attorney can build a strong case to link Instacart to your injuries.
An attorney can investigate company practices, like background checks and safety initiatives. Did they miss something in their employee’s driving record? Do they encourage their employees to make questionable decisions while working? Do they ensure that their drivers aren’t working too many hours in a row? All of these strategies and more may make Instacart accept some blame.
What kind of damages can I recover after an Instacart accident?
You can demand that all physical, emotional, and financial damages be compensated after an accident. This can include medical expenses and future physical therapy costs. If you’ve missed paychecks because you’ve been forced to miss work, that money can be returned to you. Emotional and physical pain can also be compensated, no matter if your claim is against the driver’s insurance, your own insurance, or Instacart itself. An attorney working to protect you can probably think of several more expenses you’ve had to endure that could be included in your demands.
