Some Trucking Company Practices Endanger the Public

The number of people injured in large-truck crashes more than doubled over the last 10 years. Fatali- ties increased 43 percent. In 2021, 5,601 people died in crashes involving big trucks, and many more suffered serious injuries.

The growth in online commerce has created a demand for more trucks on the road. According to a recent report by the Center for Justice & Democracy, some trucking companies are endangering public safety in a rush to fill the demand. They do this by taking shortcuts in hiring, training and supervising drivers.

All you need to be licensed to drive a large truck is to pass a medical exam, a multiple-choice written exam, and a brief driving test. Some states al- low the driving schools to administer the driving tests, and some allow oral knowledge exams.

There is no required minimum num- ber of hours on the road behind the wheel of a big rig to get a commercial driver’s license. Truck drivers typically work 60 to 70 hours a week, log- ging an average 400 to 700 miles a day behind the wheel. Pressured to meet deadlines, they live out of their truck with little time for rest or sleep, put- ting them at risk of chronic fatigue.

According to the law, drivers can drive 11 hours after 10 consecutive hours off duty, but pressure to meet tight delivery schedules and fear of losing their job can encourage driv- ers to exceed the limits.

This grueling pace, sometimes under danger- ous traffic or weather conditions, can create a danger to other vehicles on the road. A tired driver is less alert and unable to react quickly and safely in an emergency. A sleep-deprived driver may nod off and plow into a car in front of him or drift into the oncoming lane and hit a car head-on.

The National Traffic Safety Board says fatigue is a major contributor to truck crashes. A car traveling at 65 miles an hour requires about 300 feet to come to a complete stop. It can take a fully loaded semi-truck weighing 80,000 pounds up to 600 feet or more to stop, depending on road conditions such as rain, ice or snow.

In addition, the turnover rate for drivers is 95 percent. This means the average trucking company is replacing almost all its drivers every year. To meet the need for more drivers, many companies hire drivers without checking their driving record or they fail to adequately train new ones. Inexperienced, poorly trained drivers and drivers with a history of speeding violations or truck crashes are much more likely to be involved in another truck crash.

Even though trucking has become more dangerous to others on the road, the federal minimum insurance requirement for trucking companies is only $750,000 per wreck. That minimum was set in 1980 and has not been increased for inflation or rising medical costs. A crash today involv- ing serious injury and fatality to the occupants of a passenger vehicle can result in medical and other costs up to $5 million or more.

Low minimum insurance levels mean lower premiums for the trucking companies, giving them no economic incentive to improve safety. Raising insurance minimums would ensure justice for those injured or killed in trucking crashes and create an economic incentive for trucking companies to operate safely.