Driver behaviour main cause truck crashes

Commercial vehicle crashes are most commonly caused by the behavior of drivers, according to the Large Truck Crash Causation Study.The study, commissioned by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and conducted with the National Highway Safety Administration, indicates that drivers involved in truck crashes were 10 times more likely to be the cause of those crashes than factors including weather, road conditions and vehicle performance.”This study makes it clear that we need to spend more time addressing driver behavior, as well as making sure trucks and buses are fit for the road,” Annette M. Sandberg, FMCSA administrator, said in a recent statement, “The multitude of data now available will allow us to analyze specific areas of behavior and work with our industry and safety partners to develop an agenda on driver safety that will improve commercial motor vehicle driver performance.”The study is based on data from 24 sites in 17 states with regards to crashes occurring between April 2001 and December 2003. The study looks at a total of 967 crashes involving commercial vehicles with at least one injury or fatality and results indicate that driver behavior was the critical reason for 88% of the accidents.Further studies, the FMCSA says, will examine driver behavior issues including the use of prescription and over-the-counter drugs, speeding, fatigue, inattention, distractions, work environment and unfamiliarity with the road in order to discern how they may contribute to crashes.