Dr. Shane Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 Road Safe America Quote: Every year 5,000 people die and more than 130,000 people are injured in trucking accidents. Road Safe America is working to reduce semi truck accidents by limiting the top speed of tractor-trailer trucks. As virtually every driver has experienced, many trucks travel at dangerously high speeds. Trucking Accident Facts Quote: Every 16 minutes, a person is killed or sustains injuries in accidents involving 18-wheelers, tractor-trailers or semi-trucks From 1992 to 2002, the number of large trucks involved in fatal crashes has increased by up to 10% due to driver fatigue, unsafe vehicle operation, large, unstable loads or defective equipment. About 700 heavy truck drivers and passengers in truck cabs die each year. In addition, almost 3,700 persons in cars and other passenger vehicles die annually in collisions with heavy trucks. Quote Pastoral Family Counselor... Find me at www.PostumCafe.com Author of Peculiar Christianity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonnie Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 This gives a little different picture http://www.monheit.com/truck/statistics.asp Truck Accident Statistics In 2003, there were 58,512 total vehicle accidents involved in fatal crashes in the U.S. (NCSA). 4,669 were large trucks involved in fatal truck accidents. Large trucks are more likely to be involved in a fatal multi-vehicle crash than are passenger vehicles. Most fatal truck accidents occurred in rural areas (68 percent) during the daytime (66 percent) and on weekdays (78 percent). Only 1 percent of fatal truck accidents were DUI-related on the part of the truck driver compared to other types of fatal crashes. Higher DUI occurrences are 22 percent for drivers of passenger vehicles and light trucks and 29 percent for motorcyclists. About 27 percent of all large truck drivers involved in fatal truck accidents had at least one prior speeding conviction compared to 19 percent of the passenger vehicle drivers involved in fatal vehicle accidents. California had the most with 5,725 total fatal vehicle accidents but Texas had the most fatal truck accidents with 438. Here’s a breakdown of the top 5 states as to fatal truck accidents in 2003: State Total Fatal Vehicle Crashes Fatal Truck Accidents California 5,725 332 Texas 5,040 438 Florida 4,432 343 Georgia 2,277 208 Pennsylvania 2,233 213 Compared to a breakdown of the top 5 states as to fatal truck accidents in 2002: State Total Fatal Vehicle Crashes Fatal Truck Accidents California 5,544 346 Texas 5,039 401 Florida 4,431 351 Pennsylvania 2,198 174 Georgia 2,188 202 More truck accident statistics from FARS (Fatality Analysis Reporting System) Large trucks accounted for 9 percent of the vehicles in fatal crashes, but only 4 percent of the vehicles involved in injury and property-damage-only crashes. Of the 4,898 large trucks involved in fatal crashes, 76 percent were combination trucks. Regardless of crash severity, the majority of vehicles in single and two-vehicle crashes were going straight prior to the crash. The majority of persons killed or injured in traffic crashes were drivers (65 percent), followed by passengers (31 percent), pedestrians (3 percent), and pedal cyclists (2 percent). In 2003, the initial point of impact at time of collision happened 2,354 times (50 percent) in the front of vehicle; compared to 382 times on the left side, 188 times on the right side, and 720 times in the rear. In 2003, 608 large trucks were involved in fatal truck accidents causes by rollovers. Miscellaneous trucking revenue statistics The truck driver makes 30.3 cents per mile. Average yearly income for a driver is $32,000 a year. The average owner operator makes slightly more. Total revenue estimates are $255.5 billion. For hire or common carriers trucking companies generated revenue estimated at $97.9 billion about $18 billion more than air transportation. Private fleets generated revenue estimated at $121 billion. Truck operating ratio is estimated at 95.2. This means for every dollar in revenue the trucking company has a cost of 95.2 cents leaving a profit of 4.8 cents on every dollar. The trucking industry contributes an estimate of $21.4 billion to operate on U.S. roads and highways. The trucking industry accounts for 12.8 percent of all the fuel purchased in the U.S. Automobiles and light vehicles account for 63 percent of fuel purchases. Quote Everything you do is based on the choices you make. It's not your parents, your past relationships, your job, the economy, the weather, an argument, or your age that is to blame. You and only you are responsible for every decision and choice you make, period ... ... Wish more people would realize this. Quotes by Susan Gottesman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Shane Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 That looks like pretty much the same picture. Not good for the trucking industry. Quote Pastoral Family Counselor... Find me at www.PostumCafe.com Author of Peculiar Christianity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonnie Posted May 27, 2009 Share Posted May 27, 2009 That looks like pretty much the same picture. Not good for the trucking industry. What is bad for the trucking industry is bad for all. Laws are in place now that are for at fault truck/car drivers. As is typical "another law"to fix the existing law. Existing laws have not changed the bad car driver anymore than a new law will,same as for this, I do think that laws as you suggest will be coming. As in most things "there out to be a law" is piling on what is already sufficient if followed. Quote Everything you do is based on the choices you make. It's not your parents, your past relationships, your job, the economy, the weather, an argument, or your age that is to blame. You and only you are responsible for every decision and choice you make, period ... ... Wish more people would realize this. Quotes by Susan Gottesman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Planey Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 That looks like pretty much the same picture. Not good for the trucking industry. On first glance that seems to be true. But how do the percentages shape up if the accidents are compared by the number of miles driven? Seems to me that the average trucker drives way more miles per year than the average car driver or motorcyclist. If this was taken into account the figures would then be weighted more favourably for truck drivers. Graeme Quote Graeme____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Shane Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 I think that is true... but not all that relevant. If we look at the number of accidents per miles driven, certainly truck drivers are going to look much better than the average automobile driver. The point of this discussion is that some conservatives are saying we need heavy cars and SUVs that burn lots of gas so that we can be safe on the highways. Well, let's go with that. If that is true, let's ask ourselves why it is true. Safe from what? Why would we need to drive these heavy cars and SUVs? The answer must be trucks. We need to drive heavy cars and SUVs in order to be safe from the trucks. Maybe another solution is to make the trucks safer. Perhaps truck drivers should be regulated more like airline pilots are. Maybe they should have sleep more and limit how much they can drive more. There are a host of things that can be done to make the roads safer. Quote Pastoral Family Counselor... Find me at www.PostumCafe.com Author of Peculiar Christianity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bonnie Posted May 28, 2009 Share Posted May 28, 2009 Quote: I think that is true... but not all that relevant. If we look at the number of accidents per miles driven, certainly truck drivers are going to look much better than the average automobile driver. The point of this discussion is that some conservatives are saying we need heavy cars and SUVs that burn lots of gas so that we can be safe on the highways. Well, let's go with that. If that is true, let's ask ourselves why it is true. Safe from what? Why would we need to drive these heavy cars and SUVs? . I have a small car. Chevy cavalier. This weekend we went to Indiana for my granddaughters graduation. Our son went with us and could almost use his knees for a chin rest. Small cars are uncomfortable for all four of my sons. That is one reason. When I had my 78 olds it was not the trucks I felt safer from,but the careless auto driver. My cavalier cannot handle but two of my grandchildren with my husband and myself. My sons have SUVs and mini van. Helps them to be able to include their families when all are going to same destination. In any accident with any vehicle I would have been far safer in my olds than in my cavalier. Truckers were never the reason for feeling safer in the olds. Quote: The answer must be trucks. We need to drive heavy cars and SUVs in order to be safe from the trucks. "It must be trucks" is taking a leap of logic. Comfort,room,and size in an accident with anyone Quote: Maybe another solution is to make the trucks safer. Perhaps truck drivers should be regulated more like airline pilots are. Maybe they should have sleep more and limit how much they can drive more. There are a host of things that can be done to make the roads safer. Maybe you need to make yourself more aware of the regulations they deal with daily. Their trucks are monitored for miles driven and down time to sleep. Some get by just as some drunks get by in cars or pilots in aiprlanes. It might be a good idea in making roads safer they do a host of things to make the auto driver safer. Not even his car,but the driver himself. Quote Everything you do is based on the choices you make. It's not your parents, your past relationships, your job, the economy, the weather, an argument, or your age that is to blame. You and only you are responsible for every decision and choice you make, period ... ... Wish more people would realize this. Quotes by Susan Gottesman Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Shane Posted May 29, 2009 Share Posted May 29, 2009 Well I have to give credit where credit us due. President Obama did good on this one. This is something that should have been done years ago. Quote Pastoral Family Counselor... Find me at www.PostumCafe.com Author of Peculiar Christianity Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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