Delivery drivers face a lot of hazards on the job, from bad weather to bad drivers, but one of the most common ones? Dogs.
One Virginia FedEx driver's close call with a dog is a stark reminder of why keeping pets secured during deliveries isn't just a courtesy but a necessary safety measure.
FedEx Driver Narrowly Escapes Dog Attack
In a viral video posted by FedEx driver @ls4_ss, viewers get a front-row seat to every delivery driver's nightmare scenario. The footage, shot from inside the FedEx truck with the door open, shows him sprinting back to his vehicle after making a delivery, with a dog right behind him.
The dog, which appears to be a German shepherd, nearly bites his ankle, missing by about half an inch, before @ls4_ss manages to jump inside and slam the door shut.
"God[expletive]," the driver says with a nervous smile, the adrenaline clearly still pumping.
"Per all my drivers please keep your animals inside when you got a delivery coming," he said in the caption.
People reacted with a collective gasp. One wrote, "You were almost a goner." His post has nearly 5 million views as of this writing.
Dog Attacks as an Occupational Hazard
For delivery drivers, a dog bite can mean medical bills, lost wages, infection risks, and, in severe cases, permanent injury.
And despite what many pet owners might think, even "friendly" dogs can become territorial or reactive when a stranger approaches their property.
Mail carriers alone suffer more than 5,400 dog bites per year, Business Insider reported, and that's just the US Postal Service. The number doesn't account for the thousands of FedEx, UPS, Amazon, and gig economy drivers who face similar risks every day.
Dog bites are the third most common injury sustained by delivery workers, according to a 2022 study by a labor coalition, behind slips and falls and muscle strains, but ahead of vehicle accidents. And some attacks have been fatal.
In 2022, an Amazon delivery driver was found dead in a yard in Missouri, suspected to have been mauled to death by two dogs. In August of that year, a Florida mail carrier died after being attacked by five dogs when her truck broke down.
The problem has gotten so severe that the postal service has suspended mail delivery to entire neighborhoods where unrestrained dogs make the area unsafe.
Beyond obvious puncture wounds, dog bites can cause nerve damage, severe bacterial infections, and rabies. Facial injuries can require extensive reconstructive surgery. And many victims develop PTSD or anxiety that affects their ability to continue working in delivery.
Delivery drivers who are attacked may be entitled to workers' compensation for medical bills and lost wages, but that often doesn't cover pain and suffering or long-term psychological trauma. Many end up filing additional claims against the dog owner's homeowner's insurance to recover full damages.
If a dog attacks a driver, they should gather evidence of the incident and identify the dog's owner. Then they may want to contact a personal injury lawyer.
Commenters React
People who responded to the FedEx driver's post were resoundingly on his side.
"And that's how you get put on a no delivery list," said one.
"This happened to me but the dog was sitting on the porch and got startled when I said hi buddy and he bit my hand I ended up suing the couple for 200k they’re still paying me till this day," another shared.
"You was so close to get a fat [expletive] check from the homeowners insurance," a third wrote.
"The crazy amount of irresponsible pet owners that leave their aggressive dogs out, an[d] then whine when the delivery people defend themselves," a commenter added.
Motor1 reached out to the driver for comment via TikTok direct message and comment, and to FedEx via email.
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