The leading cause of truck accidents is driver error. Fatigue is said to be the biggest contributor to driver error, often caused by long hours on the road. When drivers are tired, their alertness, reaction time, and decision-making are all affected, making them more likely to:
According to Studco, various studies reveal that approximately 80% to 90% of road accidents are caused by human factors. In the same article, they state that fatigue is particularly common among commercial and public transport drivers who work long hours. Other major contributors to truck accidents include speeding, distracted driving, mechanical failure, and extreme weather or road conditions.
Let’s discuss why driver error is so common in truck driving, and what you can do to reduce the frequency of accidents in your fleet.
Driver error is the main cause of most truck driver accidents due to a combination of demanding job pressures. The long hours on the road and strict deadlines take a toll on drivers’ physical and mental health. This results in various risky situations such as driver fatigue, stress and rushing.
According to a study conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), driver error is 10 times more likely to cause an accident than any other factor. In the same study, they divide driver error into four different categories:
Driver fatigue is a leading contributor to truck driver errors because most of the time, truck drivers spend long hours on the road, often exceeding working hour limits. They don’t take enough breaks between stops because of unrealistic delivery schedules. These circumstances make it difficult for the drivers to avoid fatigue.
The South African Road Federation notes that some experts estimate that fatigued driving is responsible for approximately 60% of truck crashes. In the same article, they also highlight how the greatest risk of an increase in drowsiness occurs in the following circumstances:
Fatigue can go unnoticed. A tired driver may not feel sleepy but will react more slowly and make more mistakes. It’s as dangerous as drinking under the influence, which is why you need to focus on it to reduce the frequency of accidents in your fleet.
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Other major causes of truck accidents include speeding, mechanical failure, driving under the influence, poor weather and road conditions, as well as improper loading of cargo. Knowing the root cause and addressing these factors is crucial for the safety of your vehicles and drivers.
Distracted driving is a growing concern among commercial truck drivers. Common causes of distracted driving include:
Over the years, as more people become more dependent on smartphones, cell phone use while driving has been the fastest-growing and one of the most problematic forms of distracted driving. According to Discovery Insure, 52% percent of their clients who submitted accident claims were more likely to have used their phones when the accident occurred. This makes it one of the crucial forms of distraction you should look out for in your team.
Big trucks require more distance and time to stop. When a truck driver goes above the speed limit or drives recklessly, avoiding a collision in a sudden traffic slowdown becomes almost impossible. The truck’s heavy weight and excessive speed significantly increase the force of impact, which can lead to more severe injuries or fatalities.
Due to being on the road for long hours, trucks account for a large daily mileage. This means they require more maintenance than smaller vehicles. If you or your drivers neglect regular inspections and vehicle upkeep, critical systems can fail. Brake malfunctions, tyre blowouts, and steering wheel problems are common culprits of truck accidents caused by poor maintenance.
Extreme weather conditions, such as rain, fog and snow, create hazardous driving conditions for commercial truck drivers. They can reduce visibility and make the road surface slippery, making it harder to control the trucks, which can increase the likelihood of accidents. According to Arrive Alive, of the more than 5 million motor vehicle crashes that occur every year, 10% of all crashes and 8% of all fatalities are due to the rain.
How a trailer is loaded is critical to secure handling. When the cargo is unbalanced or overloaded, your cargo may shift during transit. This can destabilise the truck, resulting in rollovers or jackknife collisions. If cargo isn’t secured, it might even spill onto the roadway, causing more harm to other vehicles on the road. Failure to properly load cargo may result in heavy penalties from regulatory authorities, depending on the severity.
It’s no secret that drinking and driving is a major issue in South Africa. Unfortunately, this also happens with commercial drivers, which has a dangerous impact on public safety. It carries severe legal penalties, like a permanent commercial driver disqualification. For your company, it can lead to reputational damage.
Truck accidents can have far-reaching consequences that often result in serious injuries or even fatalities. They also leave lasting emotional trauma for those involved. Your business might face major financial setbacks from vehicle repairs, insurance claims, and lost productivity. Your company may also experience reputational damage and regulatory penalties that affect long-term operations and trust.
Here’s a table breakdown of the main effects truck accidents can have, according to three categories:
Preventing truck accidents starts with simple but consistent safety habits from everyone involved. This includes drivers, managers, and other staff members within the company. From there, you need to invest in technologies that enhance driver awareness, such as AI dashcams and telematics. Combining technology with consistent safety habits reduces the chances of mistakes.
Here’s how each group can play their part in keeping every journey safe and smooth:
When it comes to road safety, drivers are the first line of defence. You must ensure that your drivers take enough rest breaks between trips so they can maintain concentration and alertness. Your drivers must also get enough sleep prior to lengthy travels so they have a good amount of energy and sharp thinking. Lastly, avoiding distractions like eating or using cell phones while operating vehicles can make a significant difference.
As a fleet manager, you play a key role in preventing accidents by using smart fleet management tools that help you keep track of driver behaviour. It’s also important that you develop strict policies against distractions such as cellphone use, so drivers know the consequences and therefore avoid doing so.
You should also ensure that cars are kept in good condition by performing routine safety inspections of vital components such as brakes, tyres, and lights. Also, keep in mind the importance of driver wellness programs to ensure that drivers are coping.
To further reduce stress and exhaustion, you must ensure that driver schedules and deadlines are realistic to promote rest periods. This ensures that your drivers have enough time to finish deliveries safely. Drivers are more likely to take safety seriously when managers set a good example.
Your company needs to create a culture that values safety. One way this can be done is through driver incentives. Offering rewards for safe driving practices promotes improved team behaviour. Businesses safeguard their employees, vehicles, and reputation when they prioritise long-term safety over short-term profits.
At Cartrack, we have various technologies that’ll enhance the safety of your drivers and ensure that your business adheres to safety regulations. Over the years, we’ve had a hand in combating the frequency of accidents in many industries, including transport and logistics. We offer advanced and easy-to-use vehicle safety and monitoring technology, all from one platform.
Have a look at our top solutions for avoiding truck driver accidents:
Cartrack’s AI Dual Vision dashcam helps you monitor driver behaviour. Its distracted driving detection capabilities include drowsiness, fatigue, eating, looking away from the road, smoking, and cellphone use. Once detected, it gives out an audible alert so your drivers can quickly correct their actions. This camera further enhances driver alertness by detecting blind spots and when drivers are tailgating.
Our AI-powered dashcam also has telematics capabilities, helping you notice other leading causes of accidents, such as speeding, harsh braking, and harsh cornering. It also has GPS technology, making sure you always know where drivers are.
Prevent accidents caused by mechanical failure by using our preventative maintenance system. With this, you get alerts of engine issues, worn-out brake pads, and oil-and-water fluctuations. You can also use our system to keep up with vehicle service dates so you don’t have unexpected breakdowns.
Manually logging driver hours leaves room for human error or fraud. It can create the impression that drivers are within their hours limit when, in fact, they’re not. The Cartrack digital logbook helps you keep up with driver working hours, ensuring that they’re accurate. This helps your business remain compliant, assists in creating schedules and gives drivers enough rest. This is yet another way to prevent driver fatigue and reduce stress levels.
In many cases, drivers share vehicles, and it becomes difficult to know who used which truck. With our Driver Identification (DID) tags, to instantly know which driver is using which vehicle. Should anything happen, you’ll know exactly who must be held accountable. It also helps you ensure that the correct driver is assigned to a truck they qualify for, as each tag is linked to one specific vehicle.
The Cartrack Driver Scorecard system is a great way to promote a culture of safety within your team and motivate your drivers. This is a system that monitors how drivers operate vehicles and rates each driver according to the number of harsh events detected. Through this, you can give recognition and reward high-scoring drivers, and use it as an opportunity to address issues of those who need improvement.
Driver error presents many risks for trucking businesses; however, there are various other major causes of accidents that you should also look into. As a fleet manager, it’s important that you invest in advanced driver monitoring technology to help your drivers avoid accidents. Protect your drivers and assets — see how our fleet management solutions improve safety. Contact Cartrack today!
Most truck accidents happen on major highways and busy main roads, where people travel at high speeds and the traffic is dense. According to the Road Traffic Management Corporation, KwaZulu-Natal and Gauteng have the highest percentage of fatal accidents. Specific accident-prone routes include the N1 freeway in Gauteng and the N2 in KwaZulu-Natal.
The four common causes of accidents are distracted driving
Other causes of accidents include reckless driving, poor weather conditions, jaywalking, and driver inexperience. Understanding the cause of road accidents is crucial for developing effective safety precautions to prevent future collisions.
According to an article by Business Africa Insiders, Nigeria has the highest number of road traffic fatalities, followed by Ethiopia and DR Congo. However, when measured per 100,000 population, Kenya, Ghana, and South Africa recorded much higher fatality rates.
Yes, older drivers are generally safer than younger ones. This is because they have years of experience and are more cautious when driving. However, the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention reports that drivers aged 70+ have higher road accident fatality rates per 1000 crashes compared to middle-aged drivers (aged 35-54).
South Africa has high accident rates because of a mix of human factors and environmental factors. Human factors include things such as reckless driving, speeding, fatigue, and distractions. Environmental reasons include poor road conditions, such as potholes, as well as bad weather.
Reduce the risks! Explore the Cartrack driver monitoring tools.
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Learn about the main causes of truck accidents, from driver fatigue and distractions to poor maintenance, and discover how better safety habits and smart technology can help prevent them.
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