Delivering in the Dark Transcript

As we enter into fall and winter months, the days become shorter and the amount of time you spend making deliveries in the dark increases. This has the potential to increase your risk of an injury when making a delivery or being involved in a traffic incident.

To help support you in staying safe while delivering in the dark, this video will provide you with 5 critical tips to reduce the risk of injury or motor vehicle accident. These steps include scanning the area for hazards, making your presence known, using your headlights effectively, reducing your speed, and wearing your Amazon branded reflective vest.

First, always scan the area and walk path for trip hazards, signs of pets, or other apparent hazards. Be sure to avoid grassy areas where there may be hidden holes, uneven terrain, tree roots or slick grass. If needed, use a flashlight to identify slip, trip, and falls hazards while making a delivery.

Second, remember even if you do not see signs of pets or people at the delivery point, make your presence known by making noise, shaking your keys, or announcing “Amazon Delivery”. This will allow them to gain awareness of your presence on the property. Don’t forget to look in the Delivery App for the paw print icon to see if any pets are on the property. You may also send the customer a pre-populated message through the delivery app to let them know you are with Amazon and that they should secure their pets and turn on lights in the delivery area.

Third, as you know your visibility is reduced when driving in the dark. Normal headlight visibility is limited to 250 ft and high-beam headlight visibility is limited to 500 ft. With reduced visibility, you have less time to react to a hazard. To increase your reaction time, slow down and increase your following distance.

Fourth, turn your headlights on one hour before sunset and keep them on for the rest of your route. If you are on an early morning route, keep your headlights on until at least one hour after sunrise. This will help you to see the road and also BE seen. High-beam headlights can be particularly useful in rural areas or open roads, but remember to be courteous to other drivers and turn your high-beams off as you come within 500 feet of oncoming traffic or if you are following another vehicle. If oncoming traffics headlights are creating a hazard to your own visibility, be sure to shift your gaze down and to the right; keeping your eyes on the edge of the road or your lane markings to keep you on track.

Finally, before leaving the station be sure to wear your reflective Amazon-branded vest as your outermost layer. This will help customers recognize you and make you more visible to pedestrians and motorists as you make a delivery.

Remember your safety is the top priority and delivering in the dark can present some unique challenges. Following these 5 critical delivering in the dark safety tips can help reduce your risk of injury or traffic incident. If you need additional supplies, such as a flashlight or vest, ask your DSP or station team.