According to the National Safety Council, the involvement rate of large trucks in motor vehicle accidents causing injury has increased steadily since 2015. Not only that but since 2009, the rate of large trucks’ involvement in a fatal crash has seen a 51% increase. In 2018 alone, accidents involving large trucks killed nearly 5,000 people in the United States, an increase of 46% from 2009.
Though these statistics paint a bleak picture, drivers and trucking companies can help to prevent accidents by adhering to regulations and developing and deploying safety tactics in cooperation with others on the road. Correcting common safety issues also helps to protect truck drivers themselves, who are also vulnerable to death or injury as a result of a motor vehicle accident.
1. Inadequate Training
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration requires first-time commercial driver’s license applicants to complete a program including both theory and behind-the-wheel practice from a registered training provider. However, 38% of drivers described the training they received at the beginning of their careers as inadequate.
2. Unsafe Driving
Forty-seven percent of truck drivers report sometimes continuing to drive under unsafe conditions, including heavy traffic, inclement weather and driver fatigue. Nearly a quarter describe often driving in conditions that are unsafe for themselves and those around them.
3. Unrealistic deadlines
A majority of drivers, 73%, reported that trucking companies impose unreasonable deadlines for delivery of their cargo. In addition to driving under unsafe conditions, drivers trying to meet unreasonable deadlines may feel pressure to violate driving-hour regulations. Drivers attempting to meet an unreasonable deadline may also give in to the temptation to operate the vehicle at unsafe speeds.
Driving-hour regulations and speed limits are in place for everyone’s safety. Trucking companies can help improve safety on the roads by addressing drivers’ reported concerns. This involves setting reasonable delivery deadlines and ensuring that drivers receive the required training before setting out.
