Driver safety is top of mind for fleet managers, carriers, and logistics providers across the U.S.—and for good reason. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have concluded that vehicle (light and heavy) crashes are the leading cause of work-related fatalities, resulting in more than 17,000 worker deaths from 2011 to 2020.
If you examine the trucking industry specifically, large trucks were involved in 415,000 police-reported crashes in the U.S. in 2020, including 4,444 fatal crashes, according to data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA). And the issue isn’t improving: in 2021, 4,714 people died in large truck crashes, a 17% increase compared with 2020—and a 50% increase since 2009.
Not surprisingly, safety risks for drivers are significantly linked to high-risk driving habits and behavior, such as distracted driving (e.g., texting, eating, talking on the phone), failure to use a seatbelt, driver fatigue, and aggressive driving (e.g., speeding, tailgating, erratic lane changing). Another safety risk is employing drivers who are tasked with making time-sensitive deliveries or pick-ups, with minimal commercial vehicle training. These drivers bring their car-driving habits into their commercial vehicle, which often leads to an elevated number of accidents due to greater blind spots, a wider turning radius and the larger height and width of commercial vehicles. While safe driving translates more easily from a commercial vehicle to car, it’s much more challenging from a car to a commercial truck without effective training.
According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data, distracted driving killed 3,522 people in 2021. Carriers must also contend with aggressive driving behavior, a major driver danger; speeding alone was a contributing factor in 29% of all traffic fatalities in 2021. Similarly, poor compliance with seat belt regulations is a serious safety risk. In 2020, nearly half of large truck occupants involved in fatal crashes were not wearing a seat belt, according to FMCSA.
Transportation companies who neglect to prioritize safety within the organization clearly risk the personal safety of their drivers, and other drivers/passengers on the road. Neglecting safety measures can also be a costly mistake, impacting the bottom line, directly and indirectly.
Since fleet insurance policies tend to exclude intentional acts, carriers involved in accidents caused by high-risk driver behavior will see their insurance premiums skyrocket, or insurance companies may drop coverage entirely. Carriers may face costly claims as a result of motor vehicle accidents, accompanied by workers’ compensation claims for injuries incurred.
In addition to the drop in transportation productivity that takes a bite out revenue in the event of an accident, carriers who neglect fleet and driver safety may also face expensive fines for failure to comply with government safety regulations.
