RESOURCES-TRANSPORTATION INDUSTRY STATISTICS
drop the stereotypes
Transportation industry veterans know that the stereotypes of unsafe truckers just don’t line up. While every accident attorney wants you to believe them, the greatest risks are the other drivers on the road, not your fleet.
Yes, there’s bad apples. Our “How’s My Driving” program helps find them and keep your fleet safe.
While we break these stereotypes, look beyond the numbers to understand the risk to your business.
Driving safety statistics for large trucks
This data comes to you courtesy of the IIHS, which can be found here. The latest 2019 data is provided. Some statistics are of interest:
We’re Safer: The rate of deaths per 100 Million miles for large trucks keeps reducing, almost an 80% reduction since 1980. What this means is that for every mile driven we’re far safer than in 1980. Part of this is behavior and part is safer vehicles.
Sober Drivers: Truck drivers are rarely drunk and on the job per IIHS. In fact, other drivers of vehicles are estimated drunk drivers 9 times more often than truck drivers when there’s a driving fatality. This number has been going down but even 3% is too many!
Buckle That Belt: 47% of the truck drivers that died were involved in rollover accidents vs. a much lower number, 20% in car fatalities had a rollover. Simultaneously 29% of confirmed truck driver fatalities of the driver were unbelted. This is a far less than the 42% of passenger vehicle driver fatalities where the driver is unbelted. Want to roll around your cab or have a chance to live?
SOLUTIONS THAT WORK
How’s my driving programs work. In many instances insurance claims drop 20-30% or more, reducing insurance rates.
A 2006 paper found that safety decals result in 22% fewer accidents and 52% reduction in accident-related costs. For a little amount of time, and for a small cost, the return on investment can be huge.