Study indicates when drivers are most at risk

If you want to keep your commercial vehicle drivers safe, encourage them to take more frequent breaks after they reach eight hours on the road.

That’s your critical takeaway from a recent study by the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, which found that truckers are most likely to get into crashes during their eighth hour of driving.

The study involved an analysis of more than 3.8 million miles of data collected from seven fleets and 10 locations. In all, 182 trucks, 172 drivers, 43 motorcoaches and 73 motorcoach drivers participated in the study.

Researchers also found that talking on a hands-free phone while driving is not distracting for drivers. But other common activities, such as adjusting the seat belt or reaching for food or drink, can be distracting and potentially lead to crashes.

(From the Oct. 12, 2021, issue of Transportation Manager’s Dispatch. To start your no-obligation trial subscription to the publication right now, please click here.)