Heavy Duty Trucking, March 2020

WASHINGTON WATCH FMCSA aims to turn back fatal crash trend David Cullen Executive Editor dcullen@ truckinginfo com @ David_ L_ Cullen he Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has taken the first step toward launching a fresh study of factors that contribute to crashes involving large trucks While the study will look at all collision categories tow away injury and fatal FMCSA T Acting Administrator Jim Mullen indicated the driving force for the new study is concern over the rising number of fatalities from such crashes When I assumed this role as acting administrator three months ago I was asked my top priorities Mullen said in his keynote remarks at the start of the agencys annual Analysis Research and Technology public sessions on Jan 13 in Washington DC That to me was a no brainer he continued The top priority is to reverse the four year trend of increasing fatalities involved with large trucks He noted that the agency last studied truck crash causation 15 years ago In the years since the data available to inform such studies has grown by leaps and bounds including the reams of it now being captured by mandated electronic logging devices The original Large Truck Crash Causation Study defined large trucks as those with a gross vehicle weight rating of more than 10000 pounds which includes medium duty trucks down to Class 3 FMCSA took the first step toward launching a new crash study by publishing a Request for Information notice in the Federal Register Jan 15 seeking input on how best to design and conduct a study to identify factors contributing to all FMCSA reportable large truck crashes Perhaps reflecting some of the agencys thinking going in the notice said the study methodology should address the use of onboard electronic systems as they can generate information about speeding lane departure and hard braking More generally the study aims to yield information that will help FMCSA and the truck safety community to identify activities and other measures likely to lead to significant reductions in the frequency severity and crash rate involving commercial motor vehicles The notice states that the studys goal is to help improve FMCSA and its state partners ability to Evaluate crashes involving large trucks and identify emerging trends Monitor crash trends and identify causes and contributing factors and Develop effective safety improvement policies and programs The most recent data revealed in a report released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in October shows that fatalities in crashes involving large trucks increased by 09 from 2017 to 2018 That statistic stands out against the agency reporting that fatalities from all motor vehicle traffic crashes on U S roadways dropped 24 from 2017 which came after a 09 decrease from 2016 to 2017 The NHTSA report also found that among fatalities in crashes involving large trucks in 2018 Non occupants had 48 more fatalities a 97 rise from 2017 Large truck occupant fatalities in single vehicle crashes increased by 10 a 19 increase from 2017 Large truck occupant fatalities in multiple vehicle crashes decreased by 3 a 08 decrease from 2017 Occupant fatalities in other vehicles decreased by 9 a 03 decrease from 2017 While there was that less than 1 rise in truck crash fatalities from 2017 to 2018 when NHTSA reviewed the data going back over the prior 10 year period the story one number tells is grim There was a 12 increase in the total number of people killed in large truck crashes from 4245 fatalities recorded in 2008 to 4761 fatalities in 2017 In the more than 15 years since the original study many changes in technology vehicle safety driver behavior and roadway design have occurred that effect how a driver performs FMCSA points out in its notice Agency says fresh crashcausation study will be informed by all the data now coming off trucks David covers legislative and regulatory issues for Truckinginfo com and HDTs monthly Washington Watch as well as writing substantive features for the magazine on management issues equipment trends and more He can be reached at dcullen@ truckinginfo com or 203 371 0040 HDT MARCH 2020 10 WWW TRUCKINGINFO COM