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Off-duty UPS driver dies after accident with FedEx truck on I-880 near Coliseum

Published  December 22, 2017 9:12am PST
News
KTVU FOX 2

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OAKLAND, Calif. - A driver died early Thursday morning after an accident with a FedEx truck on Interstate 880 near the Oakland Coliseum.

All southbound lanes were closed after the 3 a.m. crash. Investigators say that the Fed Ex big rig crashed into one car. Paramedics and firefighters tried to save the driver of the car, to no avail, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Matt Hamer.

KTVU has learned the person who died was an off-duty UPS driver. 

UPS released the following statement, “UPS is saddened by the loss of an off-duty employee earlier today. Our thoughts are with our employee’s family and friends. UPS cannot provide any additional information while there is an ongoing investigation.”

There was third vehicle involved somehow, but the CHP declined to say more about that. 

The FedEx driver stayed on scene and was cooperating, officers said.

FedEx spokesman Jim Masilak issued this statement: "Our thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved in this tragic accident. We are cooperating with local officials as they investigate."

All lanes reopened about 8 a.m.

In the 24-month period before Dec. 3 of this year, FedEx Express drivers were reported to have been involved in 1762 crashes, 575 involving injuries, including 41 deaths. From 2012, the number of crashes has increased by 254.5 percent; the number of injuries has increased by 192 percent; and the number of fatalities has increased by 273 percent.

In the same period, UPS drivers were reported to have been involved in 2,003 crashes, 689 involving injuries, including 49 deaths. Since 2012, the number of crashes has increased by 38 percent; the number of injures has increased by 27 percent; and the number of fatalities has increased by 25.6 percent.

Fedex reported the highest number of employees at 99,999 drivers while UPS came in second at 47,799 drivers.

The information was compiled using data from the  Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, an agency under the Department of Transportation.

Keep in mind when comparing these statistics that a company’s overall safety record is about more than simply the total number of accidents, Fried Rogers Goldberg truck attorneys wrote on their website. A company’s safety is more accurately determined by comparing the number of accidents to the number of highway miles traveled, they said.