The views expressed here are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of FreightWaves or its affiliates.
When boarding a commercial flight, what do you expect? Cramped seats. Maybe an incessant talker. Or everyone’s favorite — an on-time departure, only to sit on the tarmac for an hour.
But what about safety? Do you expect airlines to keep you safe? Absolutely. U.S. airlines have achieved a remarkable safety record. Since 2010, only two people have died in a commercial U.S. airline crash.
In fact, the odds of dying in a commercial airline crash are about one in 11 million. The odds of dying from a lightning strike are one in 138,849. Flying is safe. Period.
The U.S. Department of Transportation regulates all commercial transportation modes to ensure public safety: airlines, Amtrak, freight railroads and the trucking industry. After all, millions of large trucks share the roads with motorists, usually within 4 or 5 feet of our cars.
But trucking’s safety record is nowhere close to that of airlines.
- Since 2010, 46,682 people have died in large truck crashes. (Source National Highway Traffic Safety Administration)
- An additional 1.3 million were injured. (Source: NTSA)
- Ninety-four percent of trucking companies don’t even have a DOT safety rating. (Source: Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration)
Like airlines, the trucking industry has an absolute duty to protect the public. This extends to all truck drivers, other motorists, passengers, pedestrians, construction workers, cyclists and all road users.
First duty: Eliminate large truck crash fatalities
Trucking company owners must continuously prioritize safe driving practices. As Steve Williams, chairman and CEO of Maverick USA and co-founder of the Trucking Alliance, frequently says, “We must make sure our drivers are properly trained, well-rested and drug and alcohol free.”
Truck drivers deliver almost all the products we purchase. But there’s no way to rationalize that almost 5,000 truck crash deaths occur every year in the process. Trucking’s public duty should be to eliminate crash fatalities. Higher safety standards and emerging technologies can make it possible to achieve that goal.
Public opinion creates public policy. How aggressively the industry commits to achieving zero traffic deaths could ultimately determine how well trucking fares in the future.
Second duty: Compensate crash victims
Nothing automatically entitles a person to own a trucking company. In fact, Congress, back in 1985, set the bar high for that privilege. Trucking company owners were required to have a $750,000 minimum financial worth, or to post insurance in that amount, in order to operate in interstate commerce. Congress set this amount for one reason: so the company would meet its public duty and, if at fault, have enough dollars to compensate crash victims.
Congress hasn’t increased that amount in 40 years. Adjusted for inflation, the minimum financial worth required to operate in interstate commerce should be $2.1 million. But to save money, almost all trucking company owners only purchase the minimum insurance amount set in 1985.
When trucking companies cause a catastrophic crash, that figure frequently does not cover victims’ damages. The industry is underinsured and failing to meet its duty to the public.
If the minimum financial responsibility of motor carriers were adjusted for inflation, numerous benefits would accrue to crash victims and motor carriers:
1. Improved compensation for accident victims: A higher insurance requirement would cover almost all victims’ claims for medical expenses and damages. There would be no incentive for plaintiff lawsuits.
2. Safer carrier operations: Increasing the potential financial consequences of accidents would be an incentive for motor carriers to prioritize safety and risk management practices. Business owners will be able to rationalize investing in safety training and education technology, proven safety technologies, and equipment maintenance. These improved standards would reduce accidents and lead to fewer deaths on the roads.
3. Reduced burden on public resources: When trucking companies don’t adequately pay victims for the crashes they cause, the victims frequently turn to public resources. Society pays the difference, effectively subsidizing the industry. More insurance will ensure that accident victims rely on the motor carrier’s insurance coverage.
5. Fair competition: A higher insurance requirement would level the playing field. Whether a one-truck operation or a 1,000-truck fleet, carriers would have similar insurance coverage. Premiums would level off and be more equitable for everyone.
6. Predictable premiums: Insurance markets would stabilize, and volatility in insurance expenses would diminish. Underwriters would better predict losses. More insurance companies would enter the marketplace, creating competition and lowering premiums.
Ethical standards have a place in the trucking industry. These standards include a public duty to eliminate fatal crashes. Second, if at fault, companies must be properly insured to compensate crash victims. If the commercial airlines can do it, so can trucking. The public deserves nothing less.