Speeding Truckers Likely Engage in Other Unsafe Driving Practices, Study Says

SmartDrive Systems, a company specializing in video safety and transportation intelligence, recently released the results of their latest survey—the SmartDrive SmartIQ Speeding Drivers Snapshot for Truckers. The Snapshot aggregates data from their database of over 200 million driving events, which helps fleets understand the risks associated with speeding, and underscores the opportunities to make their fleets safer and improve efficiencies.

The SmartDrive Snapshot demonstrates that truck drivers who speed are more likely to take other risks behind the wheel, waste more fuel, and are more at risk for truck accidents. Using video analysis to validate their data, SmartDrive made the following conclusions about truckers who speed. Speeding drivers are:

• 45% more likely to be involved in a near-collision with another vehicle, and 69% more likely to be involved in a collision
• 266% more likely than all other drivers to talk on a handheld mobile phone while driving
• More than 200% more likely to be consuming beverages, food or engaging in grooming or personal hygiene while driving
• More likely to engage in unsafe lane changing, merging, passing, braking and turning
• 272% more likely than other drivers to have both hands off the steering wheel
• Nearly three times more likely to practice unsafe following distances
• 54% more likely to cross over the median or center line of the roadway
• More likely to disobey stop signs and red lights
• Nearly three times more likely to be distracted while driving
• 171% more likely to engage in paperwork while driving
• More likely to waste fuel—the highway MPG for speeding drivers is 2.7% lower than all other drivers

Another interesting statistic the Snapshot uncovered was that not only is unsafe driving a physical risk, it’s also a financial one. Truck equipment like gears, bearings, clutches, and drive trains all wear out much more quickly at higher speeds. Increasing speed from 50 mph to 60 mph increases maintenance costs by 38%, and increasing that speed up to 70 mph increases costs by 80%.

Methodology of the study

SmartDrive calculated the top speeders through ranking their speeding rate. This rate is calculated by using the driver’s “speeding score,” measured by using four different “speeding observations measured through video events,” divided by the number of miles driven.

The four different observations are:

1. Did the driver exceeded maximum fleet speed (did the driver top the company-mandated speed limit for three consecutive seconds)?
2. Was the driver guilty of moderate speeding (was the posted speed limit exceeded by up to 10 mph for three consecutive seconds)?
3. Was the driver guilty of excessive speeding (was the posted limit exceeded by up to 11 mph or more for three consecutive seconds)?
4. Was the driver guilty of extreme speeding (was 85 mph exceeded for 10 consecutive seconds)?

This SmartDrive study came out relatively recently, but they consistently and regularly provide this data to their clients. “The clients then have the ability to get this information to analyze and use to their benefit,” said Slaven Sljivar, SmartDrive’s vice president of analytics.

Unsafe truck drivers are a hazard and danger to everyone on the road. If you were injured in a truck accident due to someone else’s negligence, you may be entitled to compensation for your damages. Get in touch with the Ohio truck accident lawyers at Crandall & Pera Law today for experienced representation. Please call our office at 844-279-2889. You can also fill out our contact form to schedule a no-obligation consultation.