The rise of trucking accidents

You can scream in the wind as much as you want. There are no stats that actually support this though.
Let's see what stats we have.... As posted above, stats from A&I online - Motor Carrier Analysis and Information Resources Online

This is for the total number of crashes per calendar year. Not adjusted for VMT
2014-2015 - 5.4% increase
2015-2016 - 3.92% increase
2016-2017 - 1.62% increase
2017-2018 - No data, year isn't over.

Now, if use the data for the fiscal year, which is October to October, which we do have.... Again, not adjusted for VMT
2014-2015 - 4.77% increase
2015-2016 - 5.4% increase
2016-2017 - 0.98% increase
2017-2018 - 20.07% decrease (I suspect those numbers will change when more data comes in)

Just because you hate ELD's does not mean trucks are less safe as a whole. Heck, even if there was a raise in crashes, adjusted for VMT, there is no telling that ELD's would even be the cause. SImply no way to measure that,

As it is though, the absolute numbers look to show exactly the opposite, to a good degree. I'll withhold judgement until we get some official numbers in though.

 

People in a hurry because of ELD’s? Maybe. More trucks on the road which means more new and inexperienced drivers? Maybe.

 

When the number of registered vehicles go up each year, it is only reasonable to expect the number of accidents to go up.

 

Okay Zvar,

You can keep your ELD is you think it magically makes anyone "safer".
No problem, enjoy !

I'll prefer the freedom, efficiency and common sense with the cheaper , proven way, paper logbooks.


Did you notice all the accidents in the emergency declaration areas historically from the exemption of HOS ?

 

I can't imagine being triggered into such behavior by an ELD. I think those described above have deeper issues. I run a few minutes over on an 11 or 14 perhaps once a month. If I'm 15 minutes from home terminal and out of hours I just keep on moving til I'm done. Never faced even a slap on the wrist for it. My company shrugs it off if they notice at all, they even recommended doing so if necessary in orientation, and I have never had a cop look at my logs in 5 years driving. And if I did face penalties or aggravation for it I could reduce such incidents to once or twice a year without much trouble. Meanwhile I appreciate never having to fuss with a pen and paper logbook again, spending 15 minutes at the end of a long shift making sure my figures and miles add up and my lines are perfectly straight and what not.

 

You'd think, but that's not what I see. Couple of months ago I rode along with our #1 driver to visit some customers. We were pushing the clock a little, so I suggested pushing the 30 minute break out. We ended up pulling into the truck stop three minutes over.

The driver was sweating it. Big time. For about an hour, he kept looking at the clocks, worrying if he was going to make it. When we went over, it was like a balloon deflated; all dejected and worried.

Next day, at the office, the lady that does the log reviews confronts me with a "did you know you had a violation? What happened.?"

It was three cotton pickin minutes, but you'd think somebody kidnapped a blond, blue eyed baby......

 

That would be an issue with your company.

 

I suppose since I own the company the problem is with me, but it isn't. I'm not worried one whit about 3 minutes over, and I am POSITIVE even Oregon DOT doesn't care...... but somehow, when it's on the computer, with a RED, "VIOLATION" remark, people react funny to it. It is what it is.