FedEx truck rips off bumper, keeps driving – NBC Chicago

It’s an opportunity Chicago drivers take almost every day — they park on a busy street and hope your car is in one piece when you return. Tommy Hall of Andersonville thinks he found the perfect spot last month on Clark Street. But when he returned, his car’s bumper had been torn off.

Fortunately, everything that happened was captured on video. Unfortunately, having proof of what happened doesn’t mean Hall won’t pay for the damage.

On August 18, Hall’s Friday breakfast came with a side of pain.

“When I got back, my bumper was on the ground,” Hall said. “I was just kind of in disbelief.”

Hall found a note on his car, but it wasn’t from the person who hit him.

“There was no mystery as to who did it. (A nearby company) actually put up a note saying ‘FedEx truck hit your bumper and drove away.'” “Please contact Big Vity Optical for video footage,” Hall said.

The video shows the FedEx truck hitting Hall’s car sideways before ripping off its bumper. The driver doesn’t stop.

“When you look at the video, it looks like it hit him pretty hard. It looked like someone took it seriously… like they peeled it off like a sticky bandage. Like it took off the whole front,” Hall said.

Hall filed a police report and his car was towed. He then decided to share this video online, still not believing what happened.

“I actually posted on Facebook that FedEx was my car and drove away,” Hall said. “I actually got an immediate response to contact them on Facebook. They put it in the accident number, and I gave him the police report number and the insurance number. But then they said someone would be there.” Contact within 48 to 72 hours.

Weeks came and went with no further response from FedEx. Even though he had video evidence showing the FedEx truck was at fault, Hall ended up having to pay a $500 deductible to have his car repaired. The total repair bill was about $2,100.

“I think ideally… I shouldn’t pay a dime. I shouldn’t wonder when this will all be resolved,” Hall said.

NBC 5 Responds looked into all reported accidents in Chicago that police said were caused by commercial delivery vehicles. We found that there was a sharp rise in these accidents in 2018, when accidents rose by 61.04% from the previous year.

Only when the coronavirus took hold in 2020, with less traffic on the road, did accidents caused by delivery trucks decrease, but they have been increasing every year since.

As for FedEx…. data indicates that at least 66 incidents involving FedEx have been reported since 2016.

“They should have a protocol where you can click ‘My car was hit.’ Here are the steps. This is your accident number, because I’m sure this happens in bigger cities more than we realize,” Hall said.

After weeks of silence from FedEx, NBC 5 Responds reached out on Holl’s behalf. They said in a statement: “We offer our sincerest apologies for any inconvenience caused by this incident. “We are working directly with the person concerned to address this matter.”

“I think this is the only day in the life of any Chicagoan,” Hall said.

Next time you park your car, Hall suggests checking for security cameras on the street and in surrounding commercial areas just in case. It can save you the cost of your deductible, if anything happens to your car.

“Maybe all stores need to have similar security cameras. I’m thinking about maybe getting a dash cam,” Hall said.

NBC 5 Responds reached out to FedEx, UPS, DHL and USPS about what drivers should do if they suspect their cars have been hit by one of their trucks. We also wanted to know what their internal policies are for drivers involved in a collision. This is what they told us:

fedex: There is no higher priority for FedEx than safety. Anyone representing FedEx is expected to follow all traffic laws, and we are reviewing the circumstances behind this matter and will take appropriate action. Although we do not comment on details regarding our internal policies, we regularly issue reminders regarding the safe operation of vehicles. Anyone wishing to report such an incident should contact customer service by visiting fedex.com or contact law enforcement if necessary.

UPS: Safety is UPS’s number one priority. Our drivers are trained to be aware of their surroundings at all times and are some of the safest drivers on the road. In the event of any accident involving one of our employees and/or our vehicle, we work with local authorities to investigate and follow our internal process to determine if retraining or discipline is required. You can learn more about our commitment to training here.

We are still waiting to hear back from USPS and DHL.