According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, semi-trailers account for 53% of all fatal collisions involving large trucks. As a result of the high number of accidents involving semi-trucks, most insurance companies advise carriers to have drivers take driver safety courses regularly to promote safe driving and keep insurance rates low.
The top reasons for accidents involving semi-trucks are distracted driving, speeding and driver fatigue.
Regular driver training not only helps carriers comply with new and established federal regulations, but also reduces a company’s risk of accidents and lower safety measurement scores, possibly reducing audits and insurance costs.
When it comes to technology’s role in driver training and safety, Daniel Vega, director of safety at Reliance Partners, said, “I think we live in a world of technology where it’s becoming normal. A driver might not have a camera, but a passenger car could be recording him while he is driving. A driver might feel like they don’t have any privacy if they have a camera inside the cab.”
Vega adds: “Companies need to communicate with drivers and make them understand the benefits these in-cab cameras could have. The cameras are not put in the cab to spy on the driver; a driver shouldn’t have any type of pushback if all company policies, state and federal regulations are being followed.”
As for what carriers can do to help with driver training, there is a host of solutions, starting with the basics of what the company does well and areas for improvement. For example, if drivers are regularly getting violations for speeding, there might need to be a further investigation as to why. Is it a failure to pay attention to speed limit changes, or is there a tricky route that serves as a speed trap? Or, worst of all, is a driver trying to make up for lost time as a result of shipper delays.
The rise of telematics in trucks has helped significantly with monitoring speed and the overall health of the truck. Knowing what is happening with trucks before they go out on the road helps reduce delays and accidents on the side of the road as a result of a breakdown – not to mention any loss of product or transloading that is happening roadside.
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance recommends that drivers regularly have defensive driving training. The goal of this training is for truck drivers to compensate for the bad driving behaviors of other drivers on the road. Some of the tips are simple: Wear your seat belt, pull over and stop if you get tired, and monitor your speed. The tips can get more specific, such as planning your route before you leave. The last thing anyone wants to deal with is a truck that has gotten stuck under a bridge because the clearance wasn’t sufficient.
Vega says: “Providing additional driving training in improvement areas would be beneficial to all drivers, not only the ones obtaining those violations. Providing defensive driving training to your drivers is an important proactive approach to reduce risk of accidents. This training should be ongoing. No matter the years of experience, everybody could always use a refresher.”
Consistent driver training actually works. The National Safety Council recently conducted a study of more than 30,000 Massachusetts drivers.
NSC writes: “The year after completing NSC Online Driver Safety Training, traffic violation rates decreased up to 74%. Specifically, the study found that per 100 drivers from 2019 to 2021, total violation rates decreased 71%, minor violation rates decreased 74%, major violation rates decreased 38% and surchargeable violation rates decreased 74%.” The results of the study are encouraging as more drivers get the additional training and can make the roads safer.
“A company should measure the effectiveness of a driver training program based on a company’s performance overall, not just how many accidents have occurred,” Vega says. “A company should be using all the information and data they have to tailor the training being provided to drivers based on the issues the company is having.”