WASHINGTON — Deaths resulting from large-truck crashes where newly licensed drivers are involved continue to rise, according to recent government data, but a proposed safety requirement that could help reduce those deaths will likely be delayed again.
The percentage of fatal large-truck and bus crashes involving new-entrant carriers climbed from 4.6% to 7.4% from 2017 to 2022, according to a snapshot of Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration data taken at the end of 2023.
In 2022, those crashes resulted in 494 deaths and over $5.5 billion in costs.
“Unfortunately this trend continues among recent new-entrant program graduates,” said Kelly Stowe, an engineer with FMCSA, referring to the agency’s New Entrant Safety Assurance Program.
During FMCSA’s safety research forum on Thursday, Stowe presented a new internal agency analysis comparing crash rates for carriers that made it through the agency’s 18-month new-entrant program to crash rates of a control group of randomly selected established carriers of similar fleet size.
The data showed that motor carriers operating within 24 months of graduating from the new-entrant program had twice as many total crashes and nearly twice as many fatal crashes per 100 power units as established carriers.
“So even after completing [FMCSA’s] new-entrant program — which includes having to pass a safety audit — newer carriers are still getting in crashes at a higher frequency than more established carriers,” Stowe said. “If we can educate these carriers early on and make sure they understand the requirements and expectations before they begin operations, we can prevent some of these crashes from occurring.”
But Stowe acknowledged that despite the concerning trend, FMCSA has yet to establish a written proficiency exam, mandated by Congress in 2012, that must be passed before a motor carrier can be registered with the U.S. Department of Transportation. “The deadline for meeting this requirement was April 2014 — we’re 10 years late,” she said.
Stowe also noted that the timeline for a proposed rulemaking to establish the proficiency exam, which was scheduled to begin in July with publication in the Federal Register, “will likely slip. It’s a high-level work plan and it’s subject to change.”
While based on dated studies, there is evidence that such a requirement could significantly reduce injuries and fatalities involving new-entrant motor carrier crashes.
Stowe summarized findings from studies completed in 2006 and 2012 comparing companies undergoing training prior to receiving operating authority with control groups that did not.
Not only did trained-carrier drivers have much lower crash rates, but they also tended to “remain in business substantially longer,” Stowe said.
“We have an opportunity with this program to improve new-entrant motor carrier safety and hopefully carry those safety improvements over to the more established carrier population over time.”
W.D. Reed
As a high mile driver – not commercial, it’s been obviously apparent that we live in the era of distraction that has bled over to what used to be a serious responsibility – driving. Surely a major contributing cause to the increase in accidents and traffic fatalities are drivers who have normalized texting, video-watching, social-media interaction and who knows what else, while being responsible for a two-ton car/truck, or a 25-ton loaded tractor-trailer speeding down the road.
This behavior by ‘amateurs’ is bad enough and has caused countless accidents, but now I observe it regularly by large-truck professionals. I see more drifting in and out of lanes with over correcting, near panic braking – when there was sufficient time to respond to traffic flow, etc…and I see the driver distracted by a damn phone! Couple that with what seems to be way more low-experience driving trends which cause any number of accidents: high speed turns, high-speed tailgating, minimal turn signal use, left-lane cruising…it’s gotten bad and it’s getting worse!
Generally speaking, more than ever, one can spot a seasoned pro doing his/her business in a big rig – the right way, as compared to the low-experienced driver who drives his/her rig – with all the dangerous, distracting habits, like it’s their pick-up truck back at home.
Nunya Bidness
I agree with Jody above. FMCSA data does not differentiate between at fault and not at fault accidents. Typical government giving only the part of the data to support their position. I investigated serious bodily injury and fatal CMV accidents in a major city in Texas for over a decade. The overwhelming majority of the accidents I investigated were not the CMV’s fault.
JACK KILLMORE
Who cares. You mean forcing drivers to drive, even when they are exhuasted, or going to be broke financially, or be fired, or replaced by an illegal alien for half price results in more crashes? You mean scamming all the drivers with fake rate contracts and lies about what loads are paying so brokers and 5 middle men can suck out any sembelence of money to do proper maintaince or repairs means more crashs…What a surprise. All while John Gallagher sits backs and writes superficial articles that address nothing of any importance and raise no legtimate concerns of the drivers that endure the nothingness of actions by bureaucracies that are filled with low IQ cube farmers, and that probably can’t even make a right turn with out causing chaos. They just add more layers and costs and regulations with out any real thought. Your better off getting on welfare than thinking about driving a truck. Much smarter move.
Gerald Niedert
One very effective, appropriate and overdue Solution is to require much higher liability and property damage insurance for small and upstart motor carriers. At $750,000 there is not much underwriting occurring and when these carriers have a bad accident they merely shut down and restart under a new name, often referred to as ‘Ghost Carriers’; those they injure get very little compensation. USDOT could establish new requirements with a five (5) year implementation that would set minimum limits at at least $5 million; however, I would rather see them set at $8 to $10 million; and with that limit I would expect insurance carriers to be very careful in how they assess risk and refuse to cover carriers that display unsafe controls and conditions with drivers, equipment and management.
Carlos USA
⚠️ I’m so shocked!!!! Oh my !! …. Who would’ve ever thought that not reading or writing the English language would have any impact on drivers with road signs or especially understanding of basic traffic laws when you come from other countries that they don’t exist ⚠️ We are totally shocked at this outcome in relation to the millions of foreign drivers that have been given CDLs in North America now 🤯🤯🤯🤯
Jody King
Whats missing from these statistics is what caused the crash. Was it caused by an error the truck driver made, or an error by the other driver. I would like the statistics to reflect the cause of the collision and who is at fault (auto or truck). The reality , in my 18 1/2 year driving career and the last 5 years in safety, is that the majority of fatal collision’s, 80 plus percent are the fault of the POV driver. Lets stop assuming that truck drivers and company are the whole of the problem and begin addressing the root causes of the issues.
Joshua Mays
What do you expect with foreign drivers who can’t read road signs.
Stephen Webster
The problem in Canada is we have many drivers that come from less safe countries like turkey where they drive much more aggressive. This is not being racist but in certain parts of the world they come over as foreign students do 1 term of 4 month in school get a truck drivers permit. They do not know how in some cases to drive a manual transmission truck down a steep hill in a snow storm. Many trucking companies are in a very bad financial position at this time and feel pressured to push the drivers. Even the large companies like Ryder have cut maintenance in my opinion. In my opinion a experienced O T R truck driver should make $30 CD or $21U S per hour off the log book after having 2 years experience plus overtime. A local driver should make at least $17.60 U S or $25 CD on payroll after 2 years or if coming in on a work permit plus overtime. I have been told by a number of large trucking companies in Canada that foreign students ( drivers ) that cross the border are only getting 32 cent U S or 45 cents CD per mile to a driver inc account
They are being pushed to mark off duty as much as possible working a 70 hour week and making less than $1000 CD a week or about $700 U S no medical insurance if hurt in the U S . These drivers have no choice because the work permit is tied to the employer. This is why I and others have been pushing for medical insurance for all cross border truck drivers from countries like Mex and Canada when on United States soil. When it was suggested that first 8 month be limited to D class trucks or tractor trailer units in rural parts of Canada by farmers and farm co ops be paid a hourly rate of $24 CD plus housing . The second April to Nov be paid hourly at $28 CD or about $20 U S per hour plus overtime on payroll I and others were told that is too expensive.We need to look at why we have higher turnover and why we only got paid sick days after health care workers said it was needed. I do not understand why in the United States why 10 paid sick days with medical insurance and hourly rate with overtime is not seen as part of the solution along with 200 hours of training for all new truck drivers and truck drivers from certain higher risk countries.