The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has just published their 2011 overview on Motor Vehicle crashes and it’s a bit of a mixed bag. Overall, it was good news for the general public as there was a 1.9% decline in motor vehicle fatalities from 2010 to 2011. For the trucking community, the news was significantly darker.
In 2010, 530 truck occupants died in large truck crashes, a staggering number to be sure. In 2011 however, a massive 635 truck occupants died in large truck crashes, an increase of 20%. So even though there were fewer accidents and fewer fatalities on the whole than the previous year, trucker deaths are still increasing.
To a casual observer this might look like a statistical anomaly that doesn’t represent any sort of negative trend. To those of us who work in the industry though, we know that driving is changing, often in the name of safety, and often for the worse. Even more disturbing than the legislation that’s being put in place is the legislation that isn’t.
In 2009, driver Carl VanWashnova was involved in a low-speed crash that took his life. He was only traveling at 35mph when he hit an empty trailer. He was wearing his seatbelt, his truck had passed inspections, but due to a lack of attention to the safety of drivers, Carl jerked forward and hit the steering wheel, causing the blunt-force trauma that took his life.
Truck safety seems to be more important to companies than trucker safety. Ask trucking companies what’s being done to make trucks safer and they’ll tell you all about speed limiters, EOBRs, in-cab cameras, BASICs ratings, HOS restrictions, and so on. Ask those same companies what’s being done to make drivers safer, and the answer will be crickets.
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Eric L. says
My first job was at Werner. They put me in a rolling deathtrap. This p.o.s. had so many problems it was definately a widowmaker. I complained and complained and begged to have it fixed or replaced. They refused so I quit. I knew that truck would kill me if I kept driving it.
Steven says
This is what you get when you can graduate school in 3 weeks and ride with a trainer that really doesn’t care what you do or how you do it, most of them are just in it for a couple hundred dollars extra a week, some of them however do take their job seriously, it is only going to get worse with big companies hiring anyone who can pass a physical.
Jim says
Eric L.I use to work with that same outfit which all they care about is there loads and training.the trainers all they care about is making money off the new drivers to be trained.I also had a couple of trucks that they would not work on as well.They also pussyfooted around when a person trys to even go O/O and get ramed,tossed,pushed aside and they don’t really care for anyone just them selves and loads.
carl says
i don’t think it is the company who is responsible for drivers safety. the company is responsible for providing a vehicle that meets all safety regulations, but it is the driver that is ultimately responsible for his own safety. if i had a nickel for every time a trucker cut me off or passed me doing 10-20 mph over the speed limit, all the while yelling on the CB for me to “get on the porch if you can’t run with the big dogs” i could quit trucking and retire. the most mind boggling thing is most of these so called “super truckers” are owner operators. i prefer to run my truck safely, sanely and keep it running as long as possible. i don’t want to buy another one, and want to kill someone or myself even less.
Troy says
Hours of service is ridiculous..You drive when your tired and sit for hours when your wide awake just because a piece of paper tells you to… Lets get back to common sense and personal responsibility. If you cause a problem you should pay the price.. You can have as many kids as you want and dont need any training to take care of them but you cant drive a truck 10 feet without a million rules and regulations…
Rob says
Are the new HOS rules finally coming home to roost? You basically have to work nonstop without the option of taking a decent break(s) and with the logs having to match the Qualcom most of the wiggle room has gone. I’m know retired, but I was getting a lot more tired under the latest rules driving 11 hrs a day compared to earlier times when it was a piece of cake to fiddle the logs, but easy to pull over for a break when you needed to, like an hour break for lunch.
George Dorman says
Even though I work 12 on 12 off now,I really like the 10 hr. break rule. Back when I ran over the road I never got the rest I needed with only an 8 hr. break. By the time you eat,shower and relax for awhile you were only getting maybe 5 hrs sleep. Let’s all hope they don’t pass the new HOS rules that will limit you to 8 hrs driving. You think there is a shortage now,wait till they cut your pay by 20%. Won’t affect me much because I rarely drive more than 8 hrs. but you OTR drivers will be hurt big time.
Sam says
I agree, the knee jerk reaction this CSA legislation has made it more dangerous to drive than ever. You can’t afford to take a longer break or random break because you’re on a hard set clock and you have to drive tired so you can deliver in the hours you have on the log.
I sat yesterday for five hours getting unloaded then another three hour to get reloaded at the same company total miles for the day 40. Good time I’m paid by the hour. Couple this experience with shourt delivery deadlines and you have a bad situation.
Mike says
The CSA has really driven alot of journeymen out of trucking and dragged IN alot of illegal aliens who drive like maniacs…and Further drive good professionals off to another occupation in DISGUST……they now have an ABUNDANCE of newbies from the schoolhouse “trying”to drive
and driving the Fatalities and Injuries numbers sky high…..it will probably get WORSE…as Pros leave the industry…and illegal aliens and students replace them…..seems logical.
gerry says
yes i agree with sam & mike & troy on many points but i also think
such things as hos & csa have made the trucking industry more
accountable and that is important when we are out numbered by
the mass public who in there own ignorance no NOTHING about
us & our way of life EXCEPT what tv shows them.i believe there needs
to be a pr campaign to boost our industries image and also educate the public
about us and most importantly how to share the road with us.
maybe then they will STOP!,speeding up when we try to pass
or STOP!,combing their hair & also put make-up on in their
review mirror or use their laptop while driving!,and one last
request….use your signal lights!.the list is longer but i’m about
to rant.
Funny…when they publish stories like “630 trucks were involved
in fatal crashes last year,what a staggering number,up 5%”…for example,
what they don’t say is that the majority of them were not caused by the
truck driver..but!,i don’t doubt that those numbers are rising either.
experienced truck drivers are leaving the industry TIRED!,yes tired
of the regulations that are strangling our way of life,more regulations
then a commercial pilot flying over our heads at 500mph.,yes tired
of the bs from shippers/recievers as the logbook clock keeps ticking!,
and yes that dot officer who is bound & determined to find SOMETHING
to write a ticket on.,now log that 30min.inspection son.
companies are now looking at driving schools for the newbies and looking
overseas to recruit drivers,and it has put a interesting mix on the highway
and some are not respecting the rules of the road and respecting common
driver courtesy/respectfulness out on the highway.SOME ARE DRIVING
LIKE A FOUR-WHEELER …..STOP IT!.you are suppose to be a
proffesional,you are making us look bad in eyes of that mass ignorant public.
Phew!,i feel better now.
RANDY says
I think a lot of it is the CSA and the point system for drivers. It is weeding out proffesionals as they pull thru scales and get reemed for truck issues and rake up the points just to get termanated. And are replaced with school grads.
my two cents
RANDY says
yes this
Mallory says
Our country is consumed with greed, power, and materialism. Cops write tickets to get promoted. DA’s prosecute to justify budgets. Govenor’s just kiss everyone’s ass so they can be a member of Congress or even the next President. Senators want to be Speakers…
It’s about who is on tv with the “prettiest” picture.
Or it’s about who can brag about their title.
Or it’s about who has the nicest boat.
Or it’s about who’s team is winning…
People are vicitimizing innocent people just so they can “be someone!”
I’m waiting for the military to turn our country into a militant country. That is when I will have a real problem. I served proudly and honorably and the sad fact is that when this country does finally fall apart it will be our military that we will have to fight.