A new report from the DOT’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) states that the number of large truck occupant fatalities increased by 8.9% between 2011 and 2012 up to 697. In 2011, the number of deaths was 20% higher than in 2010.
Despite the increase in the past few years, deaths among occupants of large trucks are the lowest they’ve been since 1950.
These numbers are also reflected in the total number of highway fatalities. In 2012, there were 33,561 highway fatalities. The NHTSA says that the number of highway deaths are at “historic lows.”
The ATA commented on the report saying that the NHTSA is not using specific enough categories to accurately portray the data. They note that the NHTSA counts non-freight-hauling vehicles as “large trucks” which is causing people to incorrectly believe that freight-hauling trucks are more prone to fatal accidents than they actually are. According to the ATA, the report “paints an incomplete and misleading picture of the nation’s trucking industry.”
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Source: overdrive
This doesn’t surprise me at all. There are more trucks on the road than ever, and they are being driven by an ever increasing number of inexperienced drivers,
“Inexperienced” is a relative term. ALL drivers are inexperienced at some point so you can remove the term “inexperienced” and simply and correctly indicate, ” … are being driven by an ever-increasing number of drivers.” The term “inexperienced” is a non-sequitur in regard to the statement you’re trying to portray.
..as for the case of inexperienced drivers…………hmm lets use a more politically correct term for the nit pickers……………Untrained drivers by people whom are trainers after six months.
Have the 4 wheelers get rid of their cell phones and this number would drop substantially. Far too many cars and and mini vans/suv that are not paying attention, ESP. around big trucks.
right on
Mandating EOBR is only going to make thos worse. I run on the system now. There are days I am worn out but have to keep pushing because the clock is running. I cant lay down grab 4 hours, and continue on. If I do stop then I will have to get a 10 hour break because thr shippers normally eat up 2 to 5 hours of my day. Drivers arent asking to cut us free and let us run like the old days. We need a system that gives us adequate rest and is flexible enough to work with our crazy schedule.
I agree. Can’t take naps anymore. Used to be able to pull over when tired and take a short nap so this in turn will cause truck drivers to be falling a sleep at the more more often.
No doubt. You can go online and lookup any companies’ snapshot. I compared my company which has over 2000 trucks to companies who are known for hiring less experienced drivers but who run EOBR. My company does not. If you look at inspections where drivers were put out of service for log violations our number is much higher than companies who run EOBR however they are having accidents at 2-3 times the rate we are. This tells me that there is no correlation between logbooks and accidents. They try to convince the public that we are all out here driving tired when in reality the opposite is the norm. Every day I see these companies running EOBR speeding through construction zones, flying through truck stop parking lots etc…and why? Because they back these guys against the wall with an electronic clock. There are way to many variables out here. Sometimes adjustments have to be made. I never speed. Because if I need to make a 30 minute adjustment…I can. And I feel that I operate much safer than an average EOBR runner who doesn’t have that flexibility.
In addition I would also like to say that when you back a guy in a corner with that clock it causes him to rush. And when you get in a hurry in this business people get hurt..or worse.
I can’t put this any easier: A logbook has never caused an accident, it is the drivers that sit there playing these damn video games and crap then suddenly have to get to Shakey, amongst a litany of other things, last of which is generally the 4 wheeler with a phone talking & texting oblivious to everything around them. After spending 22 years OTR and 10 more in the oilfield now, I see it even more with company’s that have their 62 mph wonders riding in the middle lane of a 3 lane highway, driving and talking on the phone held to their ear rather than use a Bluetooth, and doing everything they can to hold up traffic because they are going too slow for the speed limit. I could go on forever with a novel of the crap with truck drivers today, then a complete volume of books about the idiots that drive 4 wheelers not paying attention and caring only for themselves in this me me me world. I think EOBR’s are the downfall of trucking brought on because of some of the crap many of us (including me) running hog wild in the old days.
It’s like watching any local newscast: Most reporters tell us of a fatality involving a car and a ‘truck’. Later, you find out it’s a half ton…or a cube van…or a 3 ton. Be specific people! Don’t they know the definition of ‘tractor-trailer’?
well starting off is for alot better and longer training for all new drivers coming in to our trucking. They need to have all cars/suv’s get rid of the cell phones so they can pay attention better on the road.If we need to have E-logs then get rid of the clock,that 30min break and have that 1-5am twice gotten rid of as well.go back before July 1st but also get rid of the clock.Ones that never been in a truck needs to get in one and just see what we got through.One thing that people do forget that (WE) the truck drivers keep this country moving and if it wasn’t for US no one would get there food,gas ,building materials or any other goods. like its said “America Moves by TRUCKS”.God Bless America and God Bless us Truck drivers”
This is truly a real problem when truckers have to meet deadlines because bookings are too close together. I loss my fiancé 39 days before our wedding and they are quick to say he fell asleep…he’s gone and I still don’t have the answers after talking to him 20 minutes before his death. You have real drivers out there that love what they do but not allowed the time to rest when you sit all day waiting on a load then pushed to drive 11 hours after wasting a whole day checking to see if your load is ready. It’s been two months and it’s business as usual for these companies while families are trying to piece their lives back together without that father . Mother sister or brother. I have a new found respect for truckers because they do put their lives at risk for the consumer.
It has come to my attention that the government is paying companies to take on samolian drivers, train them to drive and put them to work. The problem is these immigrant workers are not U.S. citizens so they are not allowed to carry hazmat, which is required at the company I am leased on to, and yet they are working here; it was a requirement, when I signef on, to have 4 years over the road experience with a clean record, and they are coming on with NO ecperience. There is nothing safe about this. There are a lot of changes in last few years that have made things more unsafe for the driver, as stated above by others. I wish the lawmakers putting the new regulations in law actually had some knowledge of what they were doing before they made, and continue to make, things more unsafe and economically harder on the truck driver. Afterall, where would the country be without our product. I have often said that we could give Washington D.C. an example and not deliver just toilet paper for 1 month. What do you think?
I never had a problem with 11 hours of driving my problim was the 14 hours in duty crap. I dont see any reason why its a problem to be able to break up your driving into 2 5.5 hour blocks? Cause if tge terminal jerks you around for 2-3 hours thats time lost that we cant get back and after which it might be nice to take a lil nap to refresh and not get penalized for trying to get rest
There are 50000 fatalities a year on the road.No way is this correct with tractor trailers.im with u max fines for 4 wheelers like it is with truck drivers that would bring total fatalities down dramaticaly.Im a trainer sitting in the jump seat ibet at least 60% are texting or looking or talking on there phones
It would be interesting to hear the NHTSA rebuttal of the ATA criticism. It may be that the smaller vehicles they call trucks actually have less fatalities, making the larger vehicle problem even worse. I find it hard to believe that a company with 100% turnover and a bunch of newly licensed immigrant truck drivers is going to be safer. I suspect there likely is a problem.
too many hands in the cookie jar. NTSB criticizes FMCSA, Congress legislates FMCSA, Anne Ferro takes two day ride on the bumper cars…. Now possible you are forced to take a nap in a lab to see if you have sleep apnea…. notice no one posts the link to a study of accidents or sleep apnea…. or where you go to register your med card……maybe not no one….
Yet is is expected drivers will just suck it up, and drive, no matter the report or the condition.
Made up studies, studies that are ignored…….. NTSB,NHTSA, FMCSA, TCA, ATA,OOIDA,
MADD/PATT/PUBLIC CITIZEN…… and on and on.
Too many spinner knobs on the wheel.
a TWENTY percent increase? Not only is that number obscene, but so is the lack of an explanation. That is a statistical anomaly that HAS to be addressed and explained. Until it is, the number is useless as a safety tool. TWENTY PERCENT? !!!!!!
More idiot 4 wheelers. It’s a miracle that there isn’t much more fatalities with those texting.
Your are going to see this increase as more companies go to EOBR’s. Drivers are not driving anymore they are driven because they have no flexiblity, the clock is counting down. More attitudes of get out of my way I’m running out of time. With the influx of new drivers, they lack the experience and knowledge of where to find places to park before time runs out.
I don’t know why drivers tolerate EOBRs in there trucks. How could the companies that use them stay in buisness if the drivers refused? I think that drivers nowadays agree to way too much. If EOBRs ever become mandatory I’m out for good.
Also, keep a keen eye on OOIDA/ATA/TCA and others. The EOBR’s are coming, like it or not,
and all these groups and ‘industry leaders’ are just like sharks in the shark pool. All jockeying for position for the big feed…. truck drivers are the feed.
Industry is already reporting drivers’ reports of 8 % loss of time available using EOBR’s.
That figure is reported by landline and others.
So how does 8% loss of time equate to your loss of revenue…. Results may vary, just like
Viagra.
By the way moderator, what did i just post that requires moderation?
I agree wit Matt’s comment, and I’ll add that as long as certain trucking companies are pumping out new student drivers at a rate of 50 per week or more, the problem is only going to get worse. You have to come up with a test for common sense, to find qualified people to operate big trucks… !
This does not surprise me but for different reasons than the last unsurprised driver. There are actually fewer trucks and cars on the road but the death rate keeps on climbing. When you shove a red hot poker hooked to a bug zapper up a truck drivers arse and then tell him he is much safer now, who are you trying to convince? Me, or you? Electronic logs , short freight , unending fabricated crisis from dispatch, hiring way more drivers than you expect to have loads for. Endless manipulation, work increases disguised as pay increases, doctrinalizations of doctrinalizations. Saying anything you have to to just keep things moving. In short, the lies the industry has been telling and hiding are catching up with it. The DOT has automated the process and they were never very good at catching any culprits of note to begin with. Some jobs just dont respond well to a buncha clock watchers and trucking is one of those kinda jobs. Hey boss, what time is it? Because I think its later than you think.
NOTHING HAS CHANGED IN 40 YEARS. EVERYBODY STILL BITCHING ABOUT ONE THING OR ANOTHER BUT NOTHING CHANGED. LETS GO ON STRIKE, ALL DRIVERS STAND TOGETHER, BLOCK THE TRAFFIC WITH LARGE CONVOYS, WE WILL SHUT DOWN THE NATION, ETC, ETC, ETC. NOTHING WILL CHANGE THAT WILL MAKE YOUR LIFE MORE PROFITABLE OR ENJOYABLE. THIS IS IT BOYS & GIRLS, REALITY.
Jan 30 2013 is drop dead date for drivers to register their medical cards with their state dmv’s.
So the government has given us another opportunity…..JUST PARK IT!! Every driver will know the date…..if you pass it on. Not as hard as we think….. but we over think it!
Funny thing about that ….not one response to the JUST PARK IT campaign… posted the idea more than once.
It is good time for the insurance company encourage truck companies to employ automatic transmission tractors on the road. Mostly when employ new drivers. This manual transmission should really be an option to truckers. To most new drivers their attention is divided between road management and shifting unlike in the situation with auto shift tractors.
Only if the insurance companies can adopt an incentive: I think many fleet companies will adopt also. Auto shift tractors is low risk compared to manual trany tractors. Hope this make sense.
Also drivers should compel their fleet company to care for the equipment that are running on the highways. There is no duplication when this monster is not taken care of.
I hear you saying a new driver doesn’t have the talent to turn the wheel and chew gum at the same time……and that is pretty evident out on the road.
I talked to an ex-CRE driver who’s shoes had holes in them, his tractor had bald inside drive tires, so he drove into California at night, hiding the infraction. He related to me that when he signed up with CRE, he stayed in the barracks, trained for three weeks, went out with a 9 week old wonder-trainer, and was not informed enough to understand that the reason he was not assigned a company truck, was that they make their money by talking you into a lease, by which you are paying them to drive their truck.
2 days off and it took him three months to recover the revenue (if there really was any) , as all the money (very little0 went to the lease payments.
Starvin’ Marvin…. and ignorance is bliss, until it hits you in the wallet!