Crash Data
Amazon Delivery Truck Accidents in NYC Are Rising
Truck crashes near last-mile delivery facilities are up 146% in NYC. Amazon's DSP contractor model, driver safety records, and the data behind it.
Key Finding
Truck crashes near last-mile delivery facilities in NYC are up 146%. Amazon operates 42 facilities across the city, processing 500,000 packages daily through DSP contractors whose unsafe driving violation rates are at least 89% higher than non-Amazon carriers. At least 57 people have died in crashes involving Amazon's federally regulated carriers over a two-year period. Courts are increasingly piercing the DSP contractor shield to hold Amazon directly liable.
New York City receives approximately 2.5 million package deliveries every day. Before the pandemic, that number was 1.8 million. The growth is driven overwhelmingly by Amazon, which now ships more packages annually than UPS: 6.3 billion in 2024, up from 2 billion in 2019.
Amazon operates 42 facilities in New York City totaling 4.8 million square feet, employs approximately 20,000 workers, and pushes roughly 500,000 packages per day through the city’s streets via a network of contracted drivers.
Crash data reflects that volume. In November 2025, the NYC Comptroller’s report, “Fast Shipping. Slow Justice”, found that truck-related crashes increased 146% and truck- injury crashes increased 137% in areas near last-mile delivery facilities. Seventy-eight percent of neighborhoods near these facilities saw increased injury-causing crashes.
146%
increase in truck-related crashes near NYC last-mile delivery facilities, with 78% of nearby neighborhoods seeing more injury-causing crashes.
NYC Comptroller: Fast Shipping. Slow Justice (November 2025)
We pulled the crash records and the contractor structure to work out who is actually on the hook when an Amazon delivery van hits someone in New York City.
The DSP Model: Amazon’s Liability Shield
Amazon does not employ the drivers who deliver its packages. Instead, it contracts with Delivery Service Partners (DSPs), small companies that hire and manage drivers, purchase or lease Amazon-branded vans, and carry their own commercial insurance.
This is by design. The DSP structure creates a legal barrier between Amazon and the driver who causes an accident. When an Amazon van hits a pedestrian, the initial liable party is the DSP company, not Amazon.
But the degree of control Amazon exerts over DSP operations complicates this arrangement:
- Amazon dictates delivery routes and stop sequences
- Amazon sets package-per-hour performance targets
- Amazon specifies the vehicles DSPs must use
- Amazon monitors drivers through in-van cameras (Netradyne Driveri system)
- Amazon can and does terminate DSP contracts for underperformance
- Amazon controls the branding on every vehicle
Courts look at this level of control when deciding whether Amazon is liable despite the contractor label. Under New York law, the key question: does the hiring entity control the “manner, means, and method” of the work? Amazon’s control over DSP drivers is extensive and well-documented.
What the Federal Data Shows
A CBS News investigation using Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) records found that Amazon’s contracted carriers had unsafe driving violation rates at least 89% higher than non-Amazon carriers in every month over a six-year period.
Over a two-year window, at least 57 people died in crashes involving Amazon’s federally regulated carriers.
A separate U.S. Senate HELP Committee investigation (2024) found that during Prime Day 2019, Amazon’s total injury rate hit nearly 45 per 100 workers, based on Amazon’s own internal data. Senate investigators also found that Amazon manipulates OSHA injury reporting data.
The NYC Comptroller’s report puts the DSP driver injury rate at 9.2 per 100 workers for 2023-2024, compared to a national private-sector average of 2.4. Nearly four times the industry norm.
NYC Delivery Crash Data
The Comptroller’s “Fast Shipping. Slow Justice” report analyzed crash data around NYC’s last-mile delivery facilities and found:
- 146% increase in truck-related crashes near delivery facilities
- 137% increase in truck-injury crashes near delivery facilities
- 78% of areas near facilities saw increased injury-causing crashes
- Daily NYC deliveries grew from 1.8 million(pre-pandemic) to 2.5 million(2024)
One critical gap: the report does not break out Amazon-specific crash data. Police reports record the DSP company name, not Amazon.
Amazon’s name rarely appears in crash databases even when the vehicle is Amazon-branded and the driver is delivering Amazon packages on an Amazon-dictated route. That is a feature of the contractor model, not a bug.
Notable NYC Incidents
June 2023, Gramercy Park
Malcolm Livesey, 18, was killed while cycling at First Avenue and 17th Street when struck by an all-electric Amazon delivery truck. The truck had no license plates.
Staten Island, Gulf Avenue
Leony Salcedo-Chevalier, who worked for a third-party contractor at an Amazon facility, was killed when struck by a reversing truck on the site.
Queens (Espinal case)
A judge found Amazon 100% responsible for rear-ending a parked car, rejecting the DSP liability shield.
Courts Are Piercing the DSP Shield
Amazon’s contractor structure is increasingly failing to hold up in court:
$16.2M
Georgia jury verdict (2024)
A Gwinnett County jury apportioned 85% of fault to Amazon in a delivery-driver crash, finding Amazon negligent in training and holding it responsible as employer for the driver's own share.
Theory: Negligent training and employer liability
Reported New York case, not a case this firm handled.
$44.6M
South Carolina jury verdict (2023)
A Dorchester County jury awarded $14.41 million in actual damages plus $30 million in punitive damages against Amazon after finding that Amazon's delivery time pressure contributed to the crash.
Theory: Time-pressure negligence and punitive damages
Reported New York case, not a case this firm handled.
New York’s Employment Presumption
Under New York’s Commercial Goods Transportation Industry Fair Play Act, a commercial-goods delivery driver is presumed to be an employee rather than an independent contractor. To rebut that presumption, the contractor must satisfy a strict ABC test or an 11-criteria separate-business-entity test.
This is a wage-and-classification statute, not a crash-liability rule, but the same evidence of control, Amazon’s dictation of routes, schedules, vehicles, and performance targets, also drives the negligent-hiring, negligent-entrustment, and retained-control theories that reach Amazon directly in an injury case.
The Volume Problem
Package volume has more than tripled since 2019. More packages means more vans on NYC streets, running under time pressure, in a city with narrow lanes, double-parked cars, bike lanes, and 8.3 million pedestrians.
Scale of the operation:
- 6.3 billion packages shipped nationally in 2024 (up from 2 billion in 2019)
- 42 facilities in NYC (warehouses, delivery stations, sorting centers)
- 500,000 packages per day through NYC
- ~20,000 workers across NYC facilities
For comparison, UPS shipped fewer packages nationally than Amazon in 2024. FedEx shipped even fewer. Amazon is now the largest delivery operation in the United States, and its growth in NYC is concentrated in the same neighborhoods where crash rates are spiking.
What This Means for Injury Claims
These claims are more complex than a standard car accident case. Several layers to navigate:
Identifying the Real Defendant
The police report lists the DSP company. The vehicle has Amazon branding. The driver delivers Amazon packages on an Amazon route. Sorting out liability requires investigating the DSP contract, Amazon’s control, and the crash itself.
Preserving Evidence
Delivery vans have Netradyne Driveri cameras that record both exterior and interior footage. Amazon controls this footage. A litigation hold letter to both the DSP and Amazon should go out immediately after an accident.
Multiple Insurance Layers
DSPs carry their own commercial auto insurance, but Amazon also maintains excess liability policies. The available insurance coverage in an Amazon delivery accident can be substantially higher than a standard vehicle accident.
Time Pressure as a Cause
Amazon’s package-per-hour targets create documented pressure on drivers. If time pressure contributed to the accident, Amazon’s performance metrics become relevant evidence of negligence.
New York’s Commercial Vehicle Regulations
Amazon delivery vans operating in NYC must comply with city commercial vehicle rules, including designated truck routes, loading zone requirements, and speed restrictions. Violations of these regulations at the time of an accident strengthen negligence claims.
Note
Personal injury claims must be filed within three years under CPLR § 214(5). Wrongful death claims must be filed within two years from the date of death under EPTL § 5-4.1.
If the crash involved an NYC agency vehicle or MTA bus, a notice of claim is required within 90 days under General Municipal Law § 50-e. Do not wait to speak with a lawyer: Amazon and DSP carriers have legal teams that begin building their defense immediately after a crash.
Sources
- NYC Comptroller. (November 2025). Fast Shipping. Slow Justice: A Report on Last-Mile Delivery Safety in NYC. https://comptroller.nyc.gov/reports/fast-shipping-slow-justice/
- CBS News. (December 2024). Amazon Trucking Contractors Have Higher Rates of Safety Violations. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/amazon-trucking-contractors-have-higher-rates-of-safety-violations/
- Urban Omnibus. (February 2026). Where's My Package? Analysis of Amazon's NYC Distribution Footprint. https://urbanomnibus.net/2026/02/wheres-my-package/
- U.S. Senate HELP Committee. (2024). Interim Report on Amazon Warehouse Worker Injuries. https://www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/doc/help_committee_amazon_interim_report.pdf
- FMCSA. Amazon DSP Carrier Records. https://safer.fmcsa.dot.gov/CompanySnapshot.aspx
- NYC Open Data. Motor Vehicle Collisions, Crashes (NYPD MV-104AN). https://data.cityofnewyork.us/Public-Safety/Motor-Vehicle-Collisions-Crashes/h9gi-nx95
- NY Department of Labor. Independent Contractor Status: ABC / 11-Prong Employment Presumption Test. https://dol.ny.gov/independent-contractors
Updated June 14, 2026
Frequently asked questions
- Can I sue Amazon if an Amazon delivery driver hits me?
Yes. Although Amazon uses independent contractors called Delivery Service Partners (DSPs) to operate its delivery fleet, courts in New York and other states have increasingly held Amazon directly liable for accidents caused by its delivery drivers. Amazon controls the routes, delivery schedules, vehicle specifications, and performance metrics that DSP drivers must follow. Under New York's Commercial Goods Transportation Industry Fair Play Act, a commercial-goods delivery driver is presumed to be an employee rather than an independent contractor unless the contractor rebuts that presumption. That is a wage-and-classification rule, but the same evidence of Amazon's control also supports negligent-hiring and retained-control theories in an injury case. Juries in Georgia and South Carolina have found Amazon at fault for delivery-driver crashes despite the DSP structure.
- How common are Amazon delivery truck accidents in NYC?
The NYC Comptroller's November 2025 report found that truck-related crashes increased 146% and truck-injury crashes increased 137% near last-mile delivery facilities citywide. Amazon operates 42 facilities in NYC processing approximately 500,000 packages daily. A CBS News investigation found that Amazon's contracted carriers had unsafe driving violation rates at least 89% higher than non-Amazon carriers in every month over a six-year period.
- What should I do if I'm hit by an Amazon delivery van?
Document the vehicle markings and any Amazon branding or labeling. Get the license plate number and any company name on the vehicle. Call 911 and get a police report. Photograph the vehicle, your injuries, and the scene. Do not accept a statement from the driver or any Amazon representative about who is responsible. Amazon's contractor structure is designed to insulate Amazon from liability, but that structure can be challenged in court. Contact a personal injury attorney before speaking to any insurance adjuster.
- What happens when an Amazon driver gets in an accident?
When an Amazon delivery driver gets into a crash, the legal picture turns on whether the driver is classified as an employee of Amazon or an independent contractor working for one of Amazon's Delivery Service Partner (DSP) companies, which are the third-party contractors Amazon uses for last-mile delivery. Under VTL § 388, the owner of a delivery vehicle registered in New York can be held liable for injuries caused by anyone operating it with permission, so the DSP that owns the van is typically a direct target of a claim. Amazon itself can face liability under theories of negligent hiring, negligent entrustment, or retained control, particularly when evidence shows Amazon set the routes, dictated the routing software, or enforced quotas that contributed to unsafe driving. CPLR § 214 gives three years to file a negligence claim, but gathering driver logs, DSP insurance certificates, and Amazon's operational data early often determines the outcome.
- What are 90% of accidents caused by?
NHTSA research identifies a driver-related factor as a critical reason in roughly 94 percent of serious motor vehicle crashes, factors such as distraction, fatigue, speeding, and impaired judgment. In Amazon delivery crashes, this figure carries particular weight because the DSP contractor model can pressure drivers to complete high-volume routes within tight delivery windows, which contributes to the kinds of fatigued and distracted driving NHTSA identifies as primary crash causes. Under VTL § 388, a vehicle owner, including a commercial fleet operator or contractor, can be held liable when a driver operates that vehicle with permission and causes injury. FMCSA records often establish whether a commercial carrier maintained adequate hiring, training, and supervision practices. If you or someone you know was injured in a delivery truck collision in NYC, an attorney can review the full chain of responsibility, from the DSP to Amazon itself.
- Will Amazon pay you if you get injured?
Amazon rarely pays injured people directly, and its corporate structure is deliberately layered to make that difficult. Most Amazon delivery drivers work for independent Delivery Service Partners (DSPs), third-party contractors that Amazon contracts with to handle last-mile logistics, so Amazon typically argues it bears no employer liability for those drivers' negligence. Under VTL § 388, however, any owner of a vehicle who permits another to operate it can be held liable for that operator's negligence, and pursuing the DSP's commercial auto insurer, Amazon's own umbrella coverage, or both is often where a claim actually gets resolved. The FMCSA maintains safety and registration records on commercial carriers that can help establish which entity owned or controlled the vehicle involved in your crash. Because the contractual relationships between Amazon and its DSPs are complex and the insurance layers can be substantial, speaking with an attorney who handles commercial vehicle cases is the most reliable way to understand which parties may owe you compensation.
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Antin, J. S. (2026, March 25). Amazon Delivery Truck Accidents in NYC Are Rising. AEE Law Insights. https://aeelaw.com/insights/amazon-delivery-accidents-nyc/
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