Amazon’s Trucking Contractors Responsible for Severe Personal Injuries

With a trillion-dollar market cap, Amazon is one of the largest companies in the world. Its distribution network is still growing. A recent report cited by Business Insider estimates that Amazon will soon ship more packages in the United States than UPS and FedEx combined. There are serious safety questions being raised about the trucking companies that Amazon utilizes. Our Florida truck accident lawyer explains the key things to know about Amazon, its commercial trucking contractors, and the alarming safety issues that have arisen.

Understanding the Vast Network of Amazon Trucks that Operate in the United States

As a starting point, it is useful to understand just how large Amazon’s network of commercial trucks and local delivery trucks has become. It is no secret that Amazon is an extraordinarily large company. As of 2022, it is currently the fourth most valuable American company, behind only Apple, Microsoft, and Alphabet (Google). Of our country’s largest corporations, Amazon is seeing some of the fastest continuing growth. Statista reports that Amazon now employs approximately 1.6 million full-time and part-time workers. Many Amazon employees work in the distribution chain. However, it is a common misconception that Amazon handles most of its distribution internally. Quite the contrary, the company relies heavily on a vast network of trucking companies. In fact, Amazon relies on a sprawling network of “tens of thousands of carriers.” When a crash occurs, victims need to know exactly who owned, operated, and leased the truck involved. If you were hurt in a crash that was not your fault, the more information that you have, the better position you will be in to get justice and compensation.

A Comprehensive Assessment of Amazon’s Trucking Contractors (Wall Street Journal)

Amazon is certainly not alone in working with smaller commercial trucking companies. The practice is common in the distribution industry. Here is the issue: there is evidence that Amazon is working with more dangerous trucking businesses than its competitors. On September 22, 2022, The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) published a comprehensive story on Amazon and its practices of contracting with dangerous trucking companies. When it is fully loaded, a commercial truck can weigh as much as 40 tons. These vehicles need to be operated with the highest degree of skill and care. The safety threat is real: when trucking companies fail to take proper precautions, a wide range of different accidents can result, including broadside collisions, rear-end crashes, and rollover accidents. Large commercial truck accidents are significantly more likely to lead to catastrophic injuries or fatalities than other types of crashes. What did investigators working for the WSJ find? They conducted a comprehensive analysis of federal government data related to the trucking industry. The review spanned from February 2020 to August 2022. Researchers for the WSJ determined that Amazon worked with more than 1,300 trucking companies that have major “red flags” from the United States Department of Transportation (DOT). Notably, the reviewers concluded that truck companies hired by Amazon were “twice as likely as all other similar companies to receive bad unsafe driving scores.”

An Overview of Amazon Truck Accident Statistics (From 2015 Until Now) 

The high rate of unfavorable “driving scores” received by trucking companies that work with Amazon is not merely a theoretical safety problem. There are real-world consequences—and innocent people bear the brunt of the impact. As reported by Ars Technica, more than 75 people have been killed in crashes with Amazon trucks since 2015. Many others have sustained severe, sometimes even life-altering injuries. Many of these catastrophic commercial trucking accidents could and should have been prevented if all the parties had followed the requisite safety standards.

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Amazon Truck Accident Case #1: The Crack Pipe Case 

To safely operate a large commercial truck, a driver needs to be well-trained, well-rested, and fully attentive to the task at hand. A drugged trucker is an extremely dangerous trucker. One truck driver working for a “red flag” company that was contracted by Amazon was found with a crack pipe in his vehicle. In Minnesota, a large commercial truck delivering for Amazon was discovered in a ditch on the side of the road. When authorities arrived at the scene, they located a crack pipe in the vehicle. The truck driver—who worked for a company that has finally been cut off by Amazon—was arrested and charged with a drugged driving offense. A trucker operating an 18-wheeler while under the influence of drugs or alcohol is simply something that should never happen.

Amazon Truck Accident Case #2: Fatal Accident Victim Kazara Leacock

In June 2020, a young mother named Kazara Leacock was heading down the Jersey Turnpike. She was on her way to a birthday party in Maryland a few hours away. Her two children—aged one and three—were also in the vehicle. Tragically, Ms. Leacock and her one-year-old were killed when a tractor-trailer slammed into the back of her vehicle. Her three-year-old sustained severe injuries in the rear-end collision. The truck in question was delivering for Amazon. It was owned and operated by a now-defunct corporation called Condor Riders Trucking. DOT data classified Condor Riders as a “red flag” company. It was alarmingly dangerous before this fatal accident occurred. After an investigation into the fatal truck accident, New Jersey State Police ticketed the Condro Riders’ trucker for following too closely. It was not until two months after the deadly crash that Amazon stopped working with this trucking company.  

Amazon Truck Accident Case #3: Truck Accident Victim Edith Reynoso Gonzalez

It is not uncommon to see traffic on busy highways suddenly slow to a crawl. That is exactly what happened on Interstate 20 in the Northeast corner of Louisiana in October 2020. Tragically, a trucker working for a company contracted with Amazon failed to recognize the slowing traffic. The large commercial vehicle he was operating plowed into a line of slow-moving vehicles. A number of serious injuries were reported in the crash. Edith Reynoso Gonzalez, a 32-year-old mother, was in one of the vehicles. It was just minutes earlier that she moved her crying one-year-old son from the backseat into her arms to comfort him. That act very well may have saved his life. The back of their vehicle was crushed by the massive Amazon-contracted delivery truck. Once again, the company that owned and operated the tractor-trailer—an Illinois-based firm called MJS Enterprises Inc.—had previously been labeled as a “red flag” dangerous trucking company by the DOT.

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Amazon Truck Accident Case #4: Amazon Truck Driver Justin Nzaramba 

In the Spring of 2021, a truck driver working for a company contracted by Amazon left a warehouse in New Jersey and set off for a final destination thousands of miles away in Idaho. The trucker’s name was Justin Nzaramba, a 26-year-old man. He was working for a trucking company out of Ohio named ASD Express LLC. Once again, this business had “red flags” from the DOT. In Iowa, Mr. Nzaramba lost control of his tractor-trailer and ended up in a ditch. He was cited by state law enforcement for failure to properly maintain control of his vehicle. As reported by the WSJ, Mr. Nzaramba had told his supervisor that the tractor-trailer needed new tires because of the incident. However, no action was taken by the company, and he was instructed to drive the remainder of the multi-state trip on the same tires from the previous accident. In Wyoming, the disaster hit. He lost control of the truck again. A Minnesota man in another vehicle was killed in the crash.  

How Has Amazon Responded to the Safety Problems?

Unfortunately, Amazon's response to the clear safety issues raised by reporters at The Wall Street Journal leaves a lot to be desired. While the company has provided general comments to the effect that safety is a priority, it has done little more thus far than offer its “condolences” to affected family members of deadly tractor-trailer accidents. The Wall Street Journal’s independent transportation safety expert is Jason Miller, a professor at Michigan State University (MSU). However, in response to Miller’s analysis, a spokesperson for Amazon denied any problems. Kelly Nantel of Amazon informed reporters at Ars Technica that the assessment from the WSJ was built on “misleading and inaccurate assertions.”  

Victims and Their Families are Rightfully Demanding Safer Roads

There is a serious public safety crisis happening on U.S. roadways. Traffic fatalities are rising. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that motor vehicle accident deaths hit a 16-year high in the United States in 2021. The preliminary data for 2022 is just as alarming. People are rightfully demanding safer roads. Commercial trucking accidents are contributing to the overall public safety problem. Victims and families affected by the dangerous trucking companies that Amazon is working with are among those who are leading the charge. The simple reality is that the vast majority of truck accidents were preventable. As a truck that is fully loaded with Amazon packages is far larger than a passenger vehicle, its mere presence constitutes a potential hazard. Truck companies should never put their profits before people. All trucking companies need to operate in a safe manner.  

Why Hire BK Law for a Truck Accident Injury Claim in South Florida 

Commercial truck accidents are complicated. Navigating the personal injury claims process is never easy. You do not have to go up against Amazon, a truck company, or a commercial insurer alone. At Bernheim Kelley Battista, LLC, we go above and beyond to help victims and families secure justice and the maximum financial compensation. When you reach out to our Fort Lauderdale office, you will have an opportunity to consult with a Florida truck accident attorney who can:

• Listen to what happened and answer questions about the claims process;
• Carefully investigate the Amazon-related commercial trucking accident;
• Gather and organize your medical records—establish the extent of your damages;
• Represent you in settlement negotiations with defendants/insurers; and
• Take action to help you maximize your truck accident injury compensation.

Contact Our Fort Lauderdale Truck Accident Attorney Today

At Bernheim Kelley Battista, LLC, our Florida truck accident lawyers are experienced and justice-driven advocates for victims and families. If you or your loved one was hurt in a crash with an Amazon truck or a trucking company contracted by Amazon, our team can help. Call us now or now or send us a direct message for a free, no-obligation review of your case. We handle truck accident claims in Fort Lauderdale, Broward County, and throughout Southeastern Florida.