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Ken Levinson Weighs in on the Importance of Safety Culture as Truckers are Recognized for Safety Efforts

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Many members of the trucking industry who have gone above and beyond in regards to safe driving, industry improvement efforts, and community aid were recognized by the American Trucking Associations at its recent Management Conference and Exhibition.

One important award was given to John Christner Trucking’s Larry Miles–the Driver of the Year Award. Miles, who has been working as a professional trucker for 57 years, has completed more than 7 million accident-free miles in his career since he began his work transporting telephone poles in 1961.

“Larry is more than deserving of this recognition,” said FedEx Freight driver, Dion Saiz, who presented Larry with his award. “He has dedicated his life to driving safely. He is a hardworking professional who is willing to share his experiences with his fellow drivers.”

J.B. Hunt also hosted an event recently to recognize 116 of its drivers for reaching the million-mile mark without having been involved in any preventable accidents.

“Our Million Mile drivers represent the epitome of who we want all our drivers to be,” said J.B. Hunt’s chief operating officer and president of contract services, Nick Hobbs. “It’s their unwavering commitment to be the very best at what they do that makes this accomplishment so special. We couldn’t do what we do without them.”

At the Million Mile Celebration, J.B. Hunt drivers who were celebrated had reached anywhere between 2- and 5-million miles driven without accidents. 

It was also clear at this event that drivers were thrilled to be recognized for their safety efforts, as they got to walk in the company’s Million Mile Walk of Fame and have their names listed on J.B. Hunt’s Million Mile Wall–a wall filled with the names of nearly 4,000 truck drivers who have driven between 1 million and 5 million safe miles.

“We’ve been hosting this ceremony for 20 years, and I believe we’ll be doing it for 20 more,” said John Roberts, CEO of J.B. Hunt. “The atmosphere is electric. There’s so much excitement to celebrate our drivers and their achievements.”

It’s clear that companies like John Christner and J.B. Hunt have made a point to prioritize driver safety and do their part to keep our country’s roadways as safe as possible when their truckers are sharing the roads with us–something especially commendable when American roadways have seen the highest numbers of traffic deaths in 15 years.

“We applaud safe trucking companies and the members of the industry who look at safety culture as a priority,” said Levinson and Stefani’s Ken Levinson. “We’re all for safe drivers and for keeping everybody healthy, safe, and able to use our roadways without injury.”

Levinson noted that because his firm focuses on auto injury cases, folks may think he and his partners denounce all trucking companies, when the goal is just to hold these companies accountable for the role they play in traffic safety.

“We’re not looking to vilify every trucking company, because there are some good ones out there,” he said. “Our mission is to hold the unsafe companies accountable when they violate safety rules, and when those consequences create havoc for our clients. We’re not against truckers, in fact, we represent a lot of hardworking men and women who are commercial drivers, and we understand very well the pressures they’re under, how difficult of a job it is, and all the obstacles they have–and we tip our hats to drivers who are accident-free and look at safety as a high priority.”

In fact, Levinson said it’s in a trucking company’s best interest to take safety concerns to heart, because not only is hiring the safest drivers possible the best thing to do for a company’s community, but it will benefit it highly in regards to the longevity of its services.

“I think in the long run, it would be more profitable for a trucking company if they prioritize safety,” Levinson continued. “Skirting around safety rules and hiring unsafe drivers who have been in multiple crashes in the past might be a good strategy for the short term, but in the long run–and to do the right thing–it’s much better to have a safety culture that regards safety on our roads as a high priority.”

Tesla’s Lack of Recall Sparks AV Safety Discussion

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“Any manufacturer issuing an over-the-air update that mitigates a defect that poses an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety is required to timely finalize an accompanying recall notice to NHTSA,” said the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in a recent letter to Tesla’s field quality director, Eddie Gates.

Tesla, according to the agency, failed to file recall documents when the company updated its Autopilot software to expand its ability to identify and avoid parked emergency vehicles. If an over-the-internet update addresses any particular safety issue, the company must promptly issue a vehicle recall notice, NHTSA said.

Tesla must also provide “Full Self-Driving” software information as the technology is undergoing public road testing, a mandate which comes shortly after NHTSA opened a formal investigation into the company’s Autopilot software.

This investigation came as the agency received many vehicle crash reports involving Autopilot-equipped Teslas colliding with emergency vehicles that were stopped on highways and had warning lights flashing. The investigation itself analyzed around 765,000 vehicles–nearly the total number of Tesla vehicles sold in the United States since the 2014 model year. 17 people were injured and one died out of the crash incidents investigated.

In September, Tesla issued an over-the-internet software update explaining its intent to boost emergency vehicle light detection in low-light conditions–an update about which NHTSA requested more information when the update was sent to particular Tesla vehicles “with the stated purpose of detecting flashing emergency vehicle lights in low light conditions and then responding to said detection with driver alerts and changes to the vehicle speed while Autopilot is engaged.”

Vehicle manufacturers must alert NHTSA within five days of finding a safety defect, and they must also issue a public recall to ensure owners ample time to get the necessary repairs and so that potential buyers are well aware of any possible safety issues. Recalls are then monitored to make sure all applicable vehicles are covered and that all owners are contacted efficiently.

Because of this, industry safety advocates are wanting to help consumers understand the reality behind these new vehicle technologies becoming more commonplace–and to assume that autonomous driving is the overarching solution for roadway safety.

“It’s exciting for all of us to use technology that can help us with autonomous driving so that we can have vehicles where we don’t have to do what we’ve been doing traditionally behind the wheel–it’s wonderful, in a lot of ways,” said Levinson and Stefani’s Ken Levinson. “However, with the technology that’s out there now, there are so many challenges and safety issues that we have to address first. We can’t let the shiny object that is technology distract us from the most important thing, which is making sure our roads and highways are safe and that we’re protected. We need to make sure our friends, family, and neighbors stay alive and healthy.”

In order to achieve the safety we all want, Levinson noted that manufacturer transparency is key.

“We call on all the manufacturers and advocates for autonomous vehicles to make sure that they’re open and honest with their information, their testing, and their technology to ensure that despite the pressure to get these vehicles out on the road, they’re prioritizing the safety aspects necessary to do so,” he said. “They can’t jump the gun on this. The consequences are too extreme.”

Releasing these recall notices quickly and remaining as open as possible when it comes to safety issues with any advanced vehicle technology can be the difference between life and death–it’s not something to be lenient about, Levinson added.

“When companies hold back information on testing and aren’t forthright and open and honest, it creates a situation where we don’t know what we don’t know because companies are hiding potentially important information that deals directly with the safety of these autonomous vehicles,” he explained. “A responsible, safe company steps up and says, ‘Hey, here’s what we’re testing, here’s what we’re doing, here’s why, here’s what needs to be done to make it safer,’ instead of hiding behind the information they’re not disclosing.”

Supply Chain Challenges Rage On, Bringing Added Pressure to Truckers Ahead of Holiday Season

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“What we have is a storm within a storm,” said Logistics Professor at the University of Houston, Margaret Kidd. “Consumers have insatiable demand, and consumers are spending. E-commerce numbers through the second quarter of this year are up 57% from two years ago.”

The current supply chain is being stretched thin–with pressure being exacerbated by the e-commerce boom brought about by the pandemic. Significant policy updates are needed, industry experts say, as well as as innovations by transportation leaders, time, and money.

The upcoming holiday season is going to add further difficulty when more shoppers are hitting the internet and exponentially increasing demand.

“We don’t have an infrastructure that was prepared for this,” said Terry Esper, Logistics Professor at Ohio State University. “This is not just a holiday thing. This is not just a demand spike thing. This is about the economy being able to function.”

Of 2018’s retail sales, Esper noted, e-commerce represented about 13.8%–a figure predicted to grow an additional 26% by the year 2025.

The current truck driver shortage, on top of a warehouse and transportation industry labor shortage of about 490,000 employees, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, is adding additional stress to the situation.

“These are not easy jobs to fill,” said Mark Baxa, President of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals. “Let’s continue to find ways that make work-life balance as favorable as possible, and we’ll attract more people to the industry. We need to improve work-life balance, support driver health, and [improve] work conditions and compensation. We need to keep working at it.”

Enticing more workers to enter the transportation industry also means that further cost increases will come into play–more companies will need to boost spending on not only employee salaries and benefits, but on technology as well.

“Part of our supply chain constraint is labor,” said Esper. “If you want access to labor, you’re going to start to have to look at what you pay. We also need to look at technology, and now is the time to consider more investments in more automated operations, robotics, and such. There is a business case for this, and the writing is on the wall.”

With these shortages on top of an incredibly aggravated supply chain in the midst of a higher-than-ever e-commerce demand, the truck drivers that are stepping up to serve the public during this time will be put under enormous pressure by consumers and trucking companies alike.

“I understand the pressures, economic and otherwise, of labor shortages and supply chain issues, but we have to be very conscious and deliberate to not let that get in the way of safety measures,” said Levinson and Stefani’s Ken Levinson. “We also want to make sure that we’re not letting outside influences put pressure on companies and drivers to do things that aren’t safe, even with these added pressures that we have right now. It’s just not worth the risk.”

Because of this, Levinson wants to be sure that all passenger drivers are staying as defensive and aware as possible while sharing the road with commercial motor vehicles–especially during the holiday season.

“Just be aware and follow all the safety rules–especially in regards to speeding,” he said. “Don’t be a distracted driver, and be very careful of improperly using your phone. If you have to use your phone, make it hands-free–don’t, under any circumstances, text while driving. The consequences can be devastating. It’s hard enough to drive safely in normal circumstances, but if you add speeding or distracted driving or texting, and even inclement weather during the holidays, it’s just a recipe for disaster.”

Of course, these are all suggestions we hear often as drivers, but it’s vitally important that we do what we can to stay as safe as possible around these truckers who could be rushing to make a delivery on time, or who may be fatigued after spending incredibly long hours on the road.

“Your own vehicle could be in a tough spot with all those factors,” added Levinson, “and when you couple it with a truck driver who may be overworked, tired, unhealthy, speeding, and distractedly driving or using a phone–it could be catastrophic.”

CVSA Conducts Another Safe Driver Week, Focuses on Top Violation: Speeding

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During the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s Operation Safe Driver Week safety initiative, law enforcement across North America stopped 46,058 drivers in both passenger and commercial motor vehicles who were driving dangerously, according to recently-released results.

During the July 2021 event, police officers stopped 17,910 passenger vehicles and 28,148 commercial motor vehicles and issued 16,863 citations and 10,486 warnings. Speeding was this year’s top overall violation, and was also the priority for the Safe Driver Week itself.

“Officers issued 11,039 citations and 5,478 warnings for speeding/basic speed law/driving too fast for conditions,” said CVSA in a tweet when initiative results were announced. Of these speeding violations, passenger vehicle drivers received 9,349 citations and 2,929 of warnings; commercial drivers received 1,690 citations and 2,549 warnings.

This amount of speeding violations by truck drivers, specifically, is unacceptable if we want any peace of mind on American roadways, explained Levinson and Stefani’s Ken Levinson.

“Companies need to police their own drivers,” he said. “They can’t and they shouldn’t put unrealistic expectations on their professional drivers to get to a dropoff or pickup location without violating safety rules. It’s clear and obvious that companies that are unsafe and have only major profit motives skirt around safety rules and force their drivers into situations where, in order for them to get to a location on time, they have to speed.”

94% of car crashes are caused by driver behavior, according to the National Highways Traffic Safety Administration. Additionally, the majority of deaths in crashes involving large trucks include the occupants of the passenger vehicle involved (which make up about 71% of these deaths) versus the occupants of the truck involved (which make up about 18% of these deaths).

“We have to make sure that doesn’t happen, whether we’re policing the companies, policing the actual drivers, or really enforcing these safety measures–because the consequences are just too great,” said Levinson.

For passenger vehicle drivers stopped during the weeklong safety initiative, the top violations were: speeding, with 9,349 citations; failure to wear a seat belt, with 1,355 citations; distracted driving using a handheld phone, with 573 citations; possession, use, or being under the influence of alcohol or drugs, with 428 citations; and failure to obey a traffic control device, with 336 citations.

For the commercial motor vehicle drivers that were stopped, the top five violations were: speeding, with 1,690 citations; failure to wear a seat belt, with 1,225 citations; failure to obey a traffic control device, with 522 citations; texting with a handheld phone, with 344 citations; and improper lane change, with 112 citations.

“It’s incumbent upon drivers to be as defensive as possible,” noted Levinson. “These trucks are very heavy and dangerous, and oftentimes a trucker may be pressured to drive more quickly to make their hours or they may not be as alert as they should be–so we all must be as defensive as possible.”

Sometimes, passenger drivers may have too much trust in the drivers around them–which can be especially dangerous when driving near large commercial vehicles, Levinson added.

“It’s not always realistic to avoid incidents with these big trucks because they often do things that are beyond our control to avoid,” he said. “Just be very aware that these trucks are dangerous and use extreme caution.”

Even though overall miles traveled numbers fell during the pandemic, traffic fatalities increased by 10.5% in 2021’s first quarter, according to NHTSA.

“When you’re behind the wheel, watch your speed, and never drive distracted,” said the agency in a tweet.

Alongside the initiatives during Operation Safe Driver Week, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration conducted its own investigative event to target motor carriers with a history of unsafe driving behavior and crash incidents.

“Since we know that most crashes are caused by drivers,” said President of CVSA, Captain John Broers, “The best way to prevent crashes is to start with the cause–drivers.”

Roadway Fatalities Rise as Safety Rule Enforcement Lags Behind

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The list of Congress-ordered safety rules continues to grow even in the midst of a rise in traffic fatalities from the coronavirus era.

Some of these safety rules are years overdue but could be the difference between life and death for many of the drivers on America’s roadways. According to a governor’s highway safety group, the United States is at the risk of having a “car crash epidemic” if some of these safety rules are not implemented soon.

At least 13 auto safety rules are currently past due and have remained so under the last three presidents, according to a review by the Associated Press regarding the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s rule-making. These rules include a rear seat belt reminder requirement that was initially passed by Congress in 2012 and that was set to be enforced by 2015.

The rear seat belt rule will now likely begin the regulatory process in January of 2022, although deadlines–even those assured by the federal court–have been missed frequently in the past. This seat belt rule is estimated to potentially save hundreds of lives annually.

Another rule yet to be passed is that of child car seats and their side-impact standards, which was originally expected to be passed back in 2014. Additionally, a rule requiring car manufacturers to keep safety defect records for at least a decade and to implement anti-ejection protection measures for large buses is still awaiting action.

“I think with safety records, companies shouldn’t dispose of things that can help determine the cause of injury or death,” said Levinson and Stefani’s Ken Levinson. “It can only help protect people down the road, so companies need to secure and maintain records that can be used to save lives–it seems obvious to me.”

Levinson also noted that so many of these things should just be common sense, and there shouldn’t be this much wait time in bringing them into regulation to keep people safe.

“The government shouldn’t have to require the maintaining of safety records, but clearly, companies aren’t saving these records for whatever reason, and it’s incumbent upon the government and other elected officials to make sure they keep these records to protect people in the future–women, children, men, and working people,” he said.

There are also plans in place to implement mandates regarding automatic emergency braking systems on both heavy trucks and passenger vehicles–NHTSA has promised that a national database documenting automated vehicle-related crashes is in the works, as are strict autonomous vehicle testing standards.

“Automatic emergency brakes are not that expensive, and they are able to save lives and should absolutely be required,” said Levinson. “Mandating them in new vehicles is a good thing for public safety and for all of us.”

In 2020, 38,680 people are estimated to have died in roadway crashes–the highest number since 2007. 8,730 additional people died in traffic crashes in the first quarter of 2021, which is a 10.5% increase from the same period in 2020 although overall vehicle miles driven dropped significantly during the pandemic.

Over half of all crash fatalities recorded in 2020 involved drivers or occupants who failed to wear a seat belt, and each year, over 800 people die in crashes when they have failed to wear a seat belt in the back seat.

Because of this, it’s clear that swift action in bringing these safety mandates to fruition can no longer be delayed.

“We all pay the price when injuries happen and when people fill up emergency rooms and ICUs in the hospital, especially when they’re taking up space for other people to be given proper medical treatment,” said Levinson. “Failure to mandate safety standards leads to rising healthcare costs, innocent people being harmed, a loss in productivity–there’s a number of reasons that are in the public interest to make sure that people are safe.”

Some states are indeed working to increase seat belt usage–Governor Ned Lamont of Connecticut recently signed into effect a law requiring back-seat passengers over the age of 16 to wear a seat belt. Of course, passengers younger than 16 were already required to do so.

Still, we’re nowhere near where we should be in regards to federal safety standards, industry experts agree.

“I can’t say the U.S. regulator of the auto industry is at all on track,” said Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety president, Cathy Chase. “It’s time for them to move forward.”

Truckers Recognized for Safe Driving, But Driver Shortage Still Looms

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116 drivers for J.B. Hunt Transportation Services Inc. are receiving major recognition for having driven one million miles without any preventable accident occurrences.

For the first time, some of these drivers had reached 5 million safe miles, with other drivers reaching between 2- and 4-million miles without preventable incidents. During its Million Mile Celebration, the company celebrated these drivers at its Lowell, Arkansas corporate headquarters. This company event held for safe drivers and their families has taken place since 2011, although recognition for Million Mile drivers began in 1971.

“Our Million Mile drivers represent the epitome of who we want all of our drivers to be,” said president of contract services and chief operating officer of J.B. Hunt, Nick Hobbs. “It’s their unwavering commitment to be the very best at what they do that makes this accomplishment so special. We couldn’t do what we do without them.”

Additionally, these drivers continued company tradition to celebrate this achievement by walking in the Million Mile Walk of Flame–descending four flights of stairs which were filled with other company employees cheering them on. For these drivers who went above and beyond in their attention to safety, the company awarded safe driver bonuses equaling more than $1.6 million.

“We’ve been hosting this ceremony for 20 years, and I believe we’ll be doing it for 20 more,” said John Roberts, the company’s CEO. “The atmosphere is electric. There’s so much excitement to celebrate our drivers and their achievements.”

Now, these drivers will be commemorated on the Million Mile Wall, a wall recognizing all J.B. Hunt drivers who have reached between 1 million and 5 million safe miles. Nearly 4,000 company drivers are listed on this wall.

Although having this many loyal company drivers operating their vehicles so safely is a win for the industry, other trucking experts are worried that safety isn’t enough when the coronavirus pandemic has exacerbated the ongoing truck driver shortage.

“COVID exposed the underlying reasons for the shortage–an aging workforce with an average age of 55 and an industry that has struggled to recruit younger people or retain existing drivers,” said President of the Colorado Motor Carriers Association, Greg Fulton. “That paradigm left the trucking industry vulnerable to a major unforeseen event, such as the pandemic.”

Fulton explained that trucking was more heavily impacted by the effects of pandemic than many other American industries, especially with so many drivers leaving or retiring instead of continuing on in during this difficult time.

“Has anyone stopped to ask if these drivers would have left if the pandemic never happened?” Fulton asked. “Many of these drivers were among the industry’s most skilled and safest, and maybe they weren’t quite ready to leave the road. Some left due to circumstances such as health concerns or the economy, not necessarily because they wanted to stop driving.”

For some of the older drivers who did leave to be incentivized to return to the industry, Fulton suggests that trucking must be restructured in a way that offers lucrative pay and an adequate lifestyle for them.

“At this point in their lives, many of these drivers want to be home every night, and may find loading or unloading freight a challenge,” he said. “Short routes that allow them to sleep in their own beds at night, and jobs that are less physically demanding–such as drop-and-hook loads with “no-touch” freight–may encourage them to come back.”

Fulton did note that that boosted recognition of truck drivers–especially for their efforts during COVID–have caught the attention of many people throughout the country who may be interested in entering the industry.

“The improved public image of trucking may also compel [the drivers who left] to return,” he said. “The pandemic elevated the importance of truck drivers to the public, and the public is also now more aware of the driver shortage–which on the ground level, may lead to greater appreciation shown to these professionals.”

Still, though, attracting back some drivers who left as well as attracting younger potential drivers needs to be the priority to keep the industry meeting demand.

“Longer-term, we must create a pipeline to fill our future needs,” Fulton said, “This improved public image may create greater interest by younger people to consider careers in trucking. It will take some time, but telling our industry’s story now to the incoming generation–especially in this moment–is vital.”