Human factors caused majority of serious truck crashes: NTI study

Driver error, distraction, fatigue and other human factors now account for 63.5% of serious truck crashes, or nearly two out of every three incidents, heavy motor insurer NTI says in an annual study released today.

The top five causes of human factor-linked crashes are inattention/distraction (16.3%), inappropriate speed (12.5%), inappropriate vehicle positioning (10.5%), inadequate following distance (8.6%) and fatigue (8.2%), according to the 2022 Major Accident Report prepared by NTI’s National Truck Accident Research Centre (NTARC).

NTI says the study, which is based on data from last year, marks the first time that human factors have been grouped together since the inaugural report in 2005.

“It is important to note these categorisations aren’t about attributing blame, but rather it’s about understanding what we need to change in drivers’ working environments to support better outcomes,” the report says.

Chief Sustainability Officer Chris Hogarty says the findings are a reminder of the opportunities the industry has to better integrate technology, driver wellbeing initiatives and workplace culture improvements into transport businesses.

“NTI will continue to work with industry to advance these discussions,” he says in the report’s foreword.

“While much of society is returning to ‘normal’ as we learn to live with Covid-19, the industry is faced with the opportunity to continue improving its approach to safety – not only for the welfare of current and future transport operators, but for all road users.”

In other key findings, the report finds while there’s been a 55% increase in the number of trucks on the road and a 51% rise in road freight volumes, the rate of serious truck accidents has not followed this trend.

Report author Adam Gibson says the data shows a combination of tighter government regulation and industry investment in safety, technology, professional development and leadership has improved road safety.

“We saw, for example, fatigue-related crashes fall by a massive 50% the year after driving hours reforms and standardised logbooks were introduced,” Mr Gibson said. “They dropped from a high of 27.3% in 2008 to a low of 8% in 2020.”

The report defines fatigue as a situation when the driver involuntarily disengages from the driving task due to impairment from lack of sufficient quantity and/or quality of rest.

It says fatigue is not about driver compliance with work hour limits.

Click here for the report.