Swift double fatal I-8 San Diego

Don't exaggerate, it's 2299 Crashes

Crashes listed represent a motor carrier’s involvement in reportable crashes, without any determination as to responsibility.

 

Now now. Behave.

Round numbers are easier to digest for most people. LOL.

I do a little fudging towards a little over rather than someone telling me it's not good enough. It's one of my failings.

 

The only number that's round is O

 

no that's oval

 

So, an upward trend in crashes starting in 2009?

I have an hypothesis. 2008 was the year the economy went in the crapper. Tens of millions out of work. Can't find a job doing what they were doing. But Good Golly! Trucking companies will hire most anybody that can fog a mirror and pass a piss test.

There's a steady supply of desperate driver "don't-wannabes" since 2009. Sure the job market is better, but not the average wages. Many college ejumuckated folks are waiting tables or working retail. But for them trucking is an absolute last resort.

Put an unmotivated driver in the seat and what do you get? Boredom. Anger. Self pity. That's a bad mindset for concentrating on safe driving.

 

With the timing I was going to blame Obama, that sounds more reasonable though.

 

In 2009 we were seeing all sorts of changes

• ELogs exponentially becoming much more main stream
• More autos transmissions becoming common place
• Logistics were rapidly changing to the more complex regional distribution models we have today to meet the demands to keep less inventory at the last warehouse level, meaning many more shorter hauls that are hell on HOS time management, more 24/7 jit movements, etc)
• Many people started traveling again, quickly pushing highway capacities beyond their limits
• Lots of new construction projects began
• A general reduction in driver hiring standards to fill empty seats and transportation capacity demands as it was taking more drivers and miles to get same amount of goods on the shelves
• And other things also converged

 

All the mountains of goods on the shelf quickly was consumed by gluttonus amazon fulfillment centers bloating little trucks for delivery right now.

Just soon they have robots able to sort and pack selected orders to replace humans, it will really take off.

 

I wonder how much a part technology plays.


Besides the obvious distractions, technology has done much to dumb down the driving experience and create a comfort level that doesn't belong behind the wheel.

Technology will tell me when to turn, no need to read signs.

Technology will warn me of congestion, no need to really watch traffic.

Technology will warn me when I get too close to the vehicle ahead, mm hmm.

Technology will tell me when to rest, sure.

Technology will let me know when I start to drift out of my lane. Really, if you need technology for that you have no business driving!

 

And I've expressed this concern again, too. Trucks may be becoming "too comfortable" and making it too easy to multi-task to other things such as the technology noted above. But who wants to spend 10 hours a day driving around on bad roads with bad suspension and seating systems where you can barely hear yourself think over the load ambient noises? Been there done that and don't want to return. So how much comfort, convenience, and technology is too much?

But I think a lot of the "safety enhancement technology" is worthwhile. Even if there may be some unintended consequences such as becoming too reliant on the technology to save us from our own stupidity. Having an extra set of eyes is always good, but the key is to remain diligent in your own capacity, no matter what other technology you may have looking out for you.