Driving Safety

New Bill Aims to Finally End Distracted Driving for All

June 4, 2021 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Distracted driving is an issue for everyone who shares the road, and cellphone use while operating a commercial motor vehicle or while driving near a truck can lead to fatal accidents.

Because of this, American Trucking Associations has formally expressed its support for a federal bill that would work to end the usage of cellphones while driving for all drivers–passenger vehicle drivers and truckers alike.

In February of this year, the Safe to Drive Act–a bipartisan bill–was introduced to the House and the Senate. The legislation would allocate up to a quarter of the U.S Department of Transportation’s funds within national priority safety program grants to states that can show they have set forth a statute regarding distracted driving that: can be used for drivers of any age, bans any handheld cellphone use or handheld use of any personal communication device while driving, and ensures that the violation of said statute is a primary offense.

“The trucking industry knows all too well the dangers of distracted driving and the threat it poses to all motorists, not just our professional truck drivers whose workplace is our nation’s roadways,” said Dan Horvath, Vice President of ATA’s Safety Policy, in a recent letter to transportation leaders in both the House and the Senate. “Ensuring all drivers are educated about the dangers of distracted driving, and effective enforcement of common-sense highway safety laws, will greatly aid our shared goal of zero highway fatalities.”

While many may assume that accidents involving a passenger vehicle and at least one truck due to distracted driving may be the fault of a trucker, Horvath noted that typically, these incidents are caused by dangerous behavior demonstrated by passenger vehicle drivers.

“Although 70 percent of fatal crashes involving a large truck and passenger vehicle are initiated by the actions of, or are the fault of, a passenger vehicle–there is now federal law preventing passenger vehicle drivers from using handheld mobile devices while driving,” he said. “Our nation’s professional truck drivers see distracted drivers all the time, and, unfortunately, no level of defensive driving can prevent all accidents from occurring.”

Current federal mandates restrict truck drivers from operating vehicles while using any handheld devices at any time–even while stopped at a traffic light.

“Given data showing the majority of car-truck collisions are the result of passenger driver behavior, extending those bans to all drivers and not just truck drivers will have a positive impact on safety,” Horvath added.

According to ATA, the Safe to Drive Act will be a “tremendous opportunity” for the country and the transportation industry to focus upon and allocate helpful resources to all accidents that are so often caused by distracted drivers–the kinds of accidents that can be hard for a truck driver to avoid.

“In commercial trucking, we require drivers to keep their eyes on the road ahead at all times–and we should expect the same vigilance of every motorist on the road,” said Horvath. “Sadly, convenient access to social media and streaming services has only increased the number of potential road hazards, leading to increases in the quantity and severity of distracted driving incidents.”

In fact, many truck drivers are incredibly surprised–and horrified–to learn about how often distracted driving really occurs on the road and how tricky it can be to anticipate the accidents that may accompany those distractions.

“I have seen everything from texting, to putting makeup on, to even reading a newspaper while driving,” said YRC Freight truck driver, Steve Fields. “Taking your eyes off of the road for just two seconds compromises highway safety. Anything we can do to reduce distraction is a good thing.”

This legislation’s co-sponsors hope that this kind of bill will help bring an end to these easily avoidable dangers once and for all.

“When drivers take their eyes off of the road, they endanger themselves, other drivers, and pedestrians,” said Senator Amy Klobuchar. “This legislation will help ensure states have the resources to create safer roads for all and ultimately, save lives.”

The number of deaths in accidents that involved distracted drivers made up 8.7 percent of all roadway deaths in 2019–a total of 3,142 fatalities at the hands of cellphone use or other distractions while operating a motor vehicle.

“This represents an increase of 284 fatalities than the previous year–an increase of 9.9 percent,” Horvath explained. “This trend is unacceptable for highway safety. Although numerous factors contribute to highway crashes, driver distraction as a result of mobile devices is not accidental. Moreover, it is completely preventable.”

The Art of Choosing the Right Tires for Your Fleet

May 31, 2021 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

Trucking companies across the country now need a wide range of knowledge in regards to their tire choices, and must have an understanding of how to factor in fuel economy, tread ware, price, and technology collaborative capability.

Fuel efficiency is especially important for fleets to take into account right now in regards to tire purchases, as diesel prices throughout the country have been rising steadily in 2021–reaching an average of $4 per gallon in some areas.

“Right now, the return on investment in low-rolling-resistance tires is small, but it should grow as the cost of diesel rises,” said Hirschbach’s chief maintenance officer, Nick Forte. Additionally, wide-base tires can boost fuel efficiency in general, although they need to be replaced more frequently.

According to Forte, Hirschbach’s dual-drive tire replacements log an average of 300,000 to 325,000 miles, while the company’s wide-base drive tires average around 200,000 miles.

Some fleets have been incorporating low-rolling-resistance tires onto their vehicles. This method, although it may be initially more expensive, can help a company reduce its overall fuel costs. Maintenance expenses are a major focus for fleets, and investing in quality tires can make all the difference.

“Tires are behind fuel and labor as an expense, but they are a strong number three [for our company],” explained vice president of vehicle maintenance and fleet services at Pitt Ohio, Taki Darakos. Pitt Ohio is a regional carrier based in Pittsburgh. “They play a large role in our financials.”

Penske Truck Leasing utilizes dual tires, typically, because they are known as an industry standard and the most common type of tire in the company’s fleet. However, Penske will often utilize wide-base, low-rolling-resistance tires for efficiency and regulatory compliance factors.

“If a customer requests wide-base tires, we will provide wide-base, but low-rolling-resistance dual tires are what we use to be compliant with CARB [California Air Resources Board], SmartWay, and greenhouse gas regulations,” said Penske’s vice president of vehicle supply, Scott Brower.

Penske can also monitor tire pressure–another major factor in regards to a truck’s fuel economy–by using onboard technology that can manually maintain or inflate a tire’s pressure. Real-time data pertaining to a truck’s tire pressure is collected by sensors and then sent to Penske through a telematics system.

To further save in overall fuel costs, Penske finds ways to conserve energy through the implementation of aluminum wheels and air tanks, air disc brakes, light weighting specs, automated manual transmissions, smaller engines, boosted fuel capacity, faster rear axle ratios, and vehicle aerodynamics.

However, efficient fuel economy is not the top priority for all trucking companies, such as Averitt Express out of Cookeville, Tennessee.

“We look at total cost, and tire wear drives the numbers, not fuel economy,” said the company’s director of maintenance, Doug Lloyd. “As an LTL carrier, we need robust tires, and fuel economy is a benefit [of that].”

This thought process causes some trucking companies to focus on maximized tire longevity as opposed to fuel economy, explained Cooper Tire’s global truck and bus tire business executive director, Gary Schroeder.

Specifically, Cooper Tire collaborates with fleets to create a total-cost-of-ownership equation that takes into account the casing value, fuel efficiency, mileage, and tire price, and gives a company their best possible options.

“Knowing these four factors and comparing the numbers across brands allows the fleet manager to make informed, fact-based decisions on replacing worn tires,” explained Schroeder.

Still, although companies can use different methods in selecting their tires and boosting their fuel efficiency–including using third-party resources to measure their fleet’s fuel economy–gas prices are becoming a dark cloud over the trucking industry and the economic health in regions across the United States.

These rising fuel prices will force trucking companies to consider further utilization of low-rolling-resistance tires, even though they typically have a less-than-ideal tread depth, explained North American Council for Freight Efficiency executive director, Mike Roeth.

“When fuel hits $4 a gallon, efficiencies will become important,” he said. “Depth of tread helps traction and wear, but higher tread is worse for fuel economy. Less tread depth is better for fuel economy. Lately, engineers at tire manufacturers have been doing good work combining fuel economy, traction, and wear.”

Operation Safe Driver Week Will Happen as Planned, CVSA Says

June 23, 2020 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

This month, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance announced that its 2020 Operation Safe Driver Week would take place as scheduled–from July 12th to July 18th.

The CVSA did in fact postpone the International Roadcheck Inspection Campaign indefinitely, which was scheduled to occur from May 5th to May 7th, due to COVID-19 challenges, but said it has no plans to reschedule other safety enforcement efforts happening during the summer of 2020.

Additionally, Brake Safety Week is scheduled to go on as planned from August 23rd to the 29th.

During the weeklong initiative in July, law enforcement across the country will be on the lookout for any drivers operating vehicles in unsafe manners. 2020’s Safe Driver Week will have a focus on speeding, but any drivers showing unsafe driving will be pulled over by law enforcement personnel and potentially given a citation.

CVSA explained that speeding has become a much more prominent issue on the nation’s roadways over the past few months because roads have been so much clearer due to stay-at-home orders in place in response to COVID-19.

“It’s essential that this enforcement initiative, which focuses on identifying and deterring unsafe driving behaviors, such as speed, [goes] on as scheduled,” said Delaware State Police’s Sgt. John Samis, who is also president of CVSA. “As passenger vehicle drivers are limiting their travel to necessary trips and many commercial motor vehicle drivers are busy transporting vital goods to stores, it’s more important than ever to monitor our roadways for safe transport.”

Law enforcement will also be paying extra attention to other dangerous behaviors, including distracted driving, following too closely, reckless or aggressive driving, improper lane change, evidence of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, failure to use a seat belt, and failure to obey traffic control devices.

“According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, less traffic may be encouraging some drivers to ignore traffic safety laws, including speed limits,” said CVSA on its website. “Despite there being far fewer vehicles on the road due to COVID-19 stay-at-home orders, many jurisdictions are seeing a severe spike in speeding.”

CVSA explained that although the number of vehicles on the road decreased significantly throughout March and April, there was a sharp increase in average speeds measured during the first week of April in the largest metropolitan areas of the country. Recent data show average speeds in those areas increased by 75% in comparison to January and February.

New York City transportation officials reported a 60% increase in the number of March’s speed camera tickets compared to the same month in 2019–even though the amount of traffic during this time was down 90% in comparison to January.

Washington, D.C.’s traffic decreased by 80% between January and March, but officials still reported a 20% increase in speeding tickets during the month of March. The number of citations for driving 21 to 25 miles per hour over the speed limit rose by almost 40%.

In California, officials saw an increase in speeding violations and in crash severity, even though the California Highway Patrol’s overall call volume has decreased.

Tucson Police saw an increase of 40% in single-vehicle wrecks–which typically occur when a driver loses control due to excessive speed.

Other countries are experiencing similar issues. In Toronto, Ontario, Canada, police charged 18 different drivers with stunt driving at speeds between 80 and 106 miles per hour on the Don Valley Parkway, a freeway with a limit of 55 miles per hour, in just one weekend.

During the Operation Safe Driver Week of 2019, law enforcement issued 46,752 citations to passenger vehicle and commercial vehicle drivers. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s Traffic Safety Facts report’s data from 2018 showed an increase in the number of fatal large truck-related crashes by 0.9%. On a positive note, the NHTSA also found a 2.4% decrease in overall fatalities.

“While, of course, we’re pleased to see a decrease in the overall number of fatalities, it was also devastating to learn that the number of fatalities involving large trucks increased,” Samis said. “Any increase whatsoever in roadway fatalities is unacceptable.”

The CVSA said it will continue to pay close attention to the circumstances around this pandemic and will announce the new dates for the International Roadcheck as soon as possible, and will update the status for Operation Safe Driver Week and Brake Safety Week if needed.

Holidays and Winter Weather Remind Drivers to be Cautious on the Roads

December 8, 2019 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

This year, while Americans around the country were preparing for Thanksgiving and the festivities that accompany lengthy travel times, dreaded late-night drives, and full stomachs, we were all reminded just how busy our lives can get and the chaos that ensues when we are all trying to do the same thing and get to the same place. According to AAA, the expectation this year was that 55 million vehicles were set to hit the road, traveling more than 50 miles for the holiday. That is quite the number and goes to show how reliant our culture is on the ability to travel to visit our family, friends, and loved ones.

Besides stating the obvious that 55 million drivers on the roads present serious traffic concerns and safety violations, we wanted to bring attention to the fact that throughout the United States, especially in the Midwest, weather concerns present a serious issue that unfortunately cannot go unnoticed. It is true, Chicago and the rest of the Midwest get freezing cold. We experience brutal snowstorms, yet we somehow find ways to hit the roads and make certain that we get to where we are going. However, what we often don’t think about is the fact that these severe changes in weather present far more serious issues underneath the pavement that should make us worried about more than just the road being “clear.” We have written countless times about how potholes form due to cold weather and snow atop the roads, leaving many drivers unaware that even driving over one could potentially result in a blown out tire or the inability to properly turn. These are the types of issues we want to ensure all Americans are aware of because they truly come out of nowhere.

Chicago has recently announced that it is doing what it can to address issues involving potholes, going as far as conducting Blitz Days that serve as days dedicated for only refilling potholes throughout the city. While that may seem excessive, the reality is that Chicago has issues with road infrastructure throughout the entire city. You may be asking, so what, these issues are common and happen throughout the whole country. While it is true that potholes are common, other parts of the United States do not experience the snowstorms and inclement weather that we do. Sure, hitting a pothole is tough and may result in as little as a damaged tire; however, what occurs when you throw a snowstorm or the common “snow day” on top of that incident. You very well could be left waiting on the side of the road, or worse placing others in danger by continuing to drive with a damaged tire. That’s what this serves as. A simple reminder that while the pothole you attempt to avoid is an issue the city needs to address; you are responsible for how you drive after passing over such obstacles on the road.

With us now being in the thick of Holiday season, remember that the traffic and road chaos will only increase. Sure, the more traffic there is, the slower we are driving, but it has been shown time and again that more traffic results in far more dangerous roads. Again, this may be common sense, but it’s true that these road dangers go unnoticed. Remember, we are responsible for how we drive on the roads, even after a slight “hiccup” such as running over a pothole occurs. Do your neighbor a favor and be extra cautious. When you have 55 million drivers on the road, it’s the best you can do.

Trucking Safely on Snowy Roads

November 25, 2019 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

For workers who make their living on the roads, it’s of the utmost importance that traffic continues moving, even during winter weather.

For emergency planners, this isn’t necessarily always an easy feat–especially when multiple car accidents occur in the same area.

For semi truck drivers Michelle and Floyd Goss, keeping a close eye on upcoming weather systems can make or break their hauls between Montana and Colorado. If conditions get bad enough, there’s a huge strain on the timeliness of their deliveries.

“If it’s too bad, then we just stay here, we have enough food in the truck to last us about three weeks,” said Floyd, who owns and operates his vehicle-hauling truck.

Both Michelle and Floyd had to put chains on their tires for the incoming weather, and they say all drivers–not just truckers–should keep with them an emergency kit at all times, but especially during winter. Things to include are food, water, jackets, and blankets. More importantly, though, is making sure other drivers are aware of all semi trucks they may be sharing the road with in snowy conditions.

“It takes so much longer for us to stop, and if anything happens, that’s an 80,000 pound vehicle versus your 2,000 to 2,500 pound car,” Floyd said. “If we tangle, you’re going to lose.”

The biggest thing for drivers to keep in mind is to always give trucks plenty of room, take it slow, and stay patient.

For truck drivers, though, safety precautions are doubly important in winter weather.

On top of extra food, water, and blankets in your emergency kit, truckers should also keep on board:

-Rain/snow gear, extra gloves

-A coat that can support both day and night temperatures

-A flashlight

-A bag of sand/salt

-Extra windshield washer fluid

-A windshield scraper

-Jumper cables

-Tire chains/traction mats

-At least a half tank of gas at all times

In addition, Roadmaster Drivers School also has these tips for truckers planning a trip during inclement weather conditions:

-Complete pre-trip inspections–Commercial drivers must inspect their vehicles prior to every trip. They should do a hands-on visual inspection and check tires, wiper blades, fluids. and lights. Truckers should check their vehicles more often in extreme temperatures.

-Slow down–Because most winter accidents take place when drivers go too fast for the road conditions, and hydroplaning can happen easily at higher speeds in slush, a slower speed will give you more time to react.

-Brake and accelerate lightly–Doing anything forcefully in bad weather can be detrimental. If your vehicle has an anti-locking brake system, use it properly by pressing and holding the brake down as far as possible in the event of an emergency. ABS prevents wheels from locking so you can steer around obstacles. If your vehicle does not have ABS, lightly pump your brakes when needing to slow down quickly on slick roads–this will decrease your likelihood of sliding out of control.

-Give yourself plenty of safe space–Keep an ample following distance between yourself and other vehicles so that you always have space and time to move out of the way of a dangerous situation.

-Hold the steering wheel firmly–Sudden moves can easily make you lose control of your vehicle, so be sure to keep both hands on the wheel and keep your vehicle steady through heavy wind and when ice or ruts appear on the road.

-Watch out for black ice–Black ice is a thin layer of clear ice that shows up when temperatures are near freezing and can make the road look only slightly wet. Never assume that just because the sun is shining that the road is only wet, and use these clues to be able to spot black ice when the temperature is getting close to freezing.

Ice build-up on antennas, windshield corners, or mirror arms
Spray from tires on vehicles ahead will stop

-Use caution on bridges–Elevated structures tend to freeze first, and are often not treated with snow-melt materials (like salt), whereas other parts of the road may be. Black ice is often found on bridges, and vehicles driving easily on the highway may spin out of control on a bridge or highway overpass.

-Be wary of mountain driving–Weather on mountains can be unpredictable during the winter months and can change rapidly. Be on the lookout for emergency vehicles, snowplows, and wind gusts. Do not stop in avalanche zones. Tire chains may also be required for some of these routes.

-Remain in your vehicle if you get stuck–Stay put if you end up getting stuck in a storm or if you slide off the road and can’t see a nearby place to find help. Bundle up and keep moving to stay warm. Keep your exhaust pipe clear of snow, open a downwind window for ventilation, and run your engine for only around 15 minutes each hour.

-Obey all road signs–Warning information is always posted for good reason, and a curve posted at 35 mph is because testing has determined that is the safest maximum speed for any vehicle on the road.

-If conditions look too bad for driving, get off the road–Use your best judgment, listen to weather reports and act accordingly. Don’t push your luck.

-Treat your fuel–Cold temperatures can cause diesel to gel, so it may be helpful to stock up on anti-gel ahead of bad weather.

-Keep in mind the ‘Five Keys to Space-Cushion Driving’ that many carriers make required training for drivers—

Aim High in Steering: Look far enough ahead of your vehicle so you have time to react to any hazards.
Get the Big Picture: Keep a lookout all around our vehicle.
Keep Your Eyes Moving: Scan the entire area as often as possible.
Leave Yourself an Out: Have an escape plan for you and your vehicle.
Make Sure They See You: Make sure other drivers are aware of your presence.

Chicago Announces New Plan to Reduce Downtown Congestion

November 1, 2019 by Levinson and Stefani Leave a Comment

On October 18^th, City officials announced two new initiatives to reduce downtown congestion and increase the use of Chicago’s bus system. Through the new initiatives, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced that ride-share apps will see an increase in fees, specifically downtown and in the surrounding areas. Additionally, Lightfoot announced the city would be adding additional bus-only lanes throughout the city to incentivize public transportation.

Both of the announcements follow what has been a long-awaited response by Chicago’s administration to curb the significant increase in ridesharing occurring throughout the city, which has clearly had a negative effect on the use of public transportation for downtown commuters. After the announcement, Curbed Chicago provided a breakdown of how Uber and Lyft users would be affected by the new initiative. For starters, “the new proposal would decrease the amount for shared trips to 65 cents and increase single rides to $1.25.” In doing this, the city is hoping to clearly incentivize riders to think about carpooling. However, this isn’t nearly as aggressive as Chicago’s special downtown zone fee, which will see the single trip fee increase $2.28 to $3.00. Curbed Chicago goes on to explain that “the downtown zone fees would apply between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m. and the proposed downtown area includes the Loop, River North and a portion of the West Loop. The boundary streets include: Lake Shore Drive, Roosevelt Road, Desplaines Street, Van Buren Street, Ashland Avenue, Grand Street, North Branch Canal, North Avenue.”

Overall, these are drastic announcements by the city. No matter the public policy at hand, commuters are likely to not take too lightly to a two dollar increase in taxes and fees for every ride they try and catch in the downtown area. For many, especially those living in nearby neighborhoods, there is going to be dissatisfaction. With that being said, we can only hope that such a decision will bring positive results not only for traffic congestion, but for rider and pedestrian safety as well. As we have written countless times, traffic congestion brings unwarranted dangers to those in the city. For example, it was announced in the 2019 Urban Mobility Report that Chicago commuters lost a total of $1,307 annually due to traffic congestion, which was the result of vehicle damage, wasted gasoline, and many other factors associated with increases in traffic. More shocking, according to TRIP, the National Transportation Research Nonprofit, traffic congestion studied as recently as 2016 showed that the trucking industry lost a total of $74.5 billion due to the operational costs associated with traffic. All of this establishes that while it may appear absurd and a downright overreach to drastically increase taxes and fees associated with ridesharing in Chicago, there is far more at play then giving the city money for failing to take public transportation. We should hope that driver safety and vehicle costs are one of those primary factors.

Chicago’s New Bus Initiative

Along with the new fees for ridesharing comes an initiative to revamp and give an incentive to the public in taking the bus system. “The Bus Priority Zone Program will bring bus-only lanes, queue jump signals, and better traffic light timing to some of Chicago’s highest ridership routes,” writes Curbed Chicago. As a result of the $20 million dollar plan, the goal is to remove “slow zones, bottlenecks, delays, and bunched up buses that come one right after the other.”

Curbed Chicago also had the opportunity to speak with the Executive Director of Active Transportation Alliance, an organization that advocates for providing safe walking, bicycling, and public transit options in communities. Executive Director Melody Geraci stated that “transportation is the great but invisible connector between people and opportunity. We don’t think about it as much as we think about affordable housing, or access to grocery stores and jobs but all of those things are only connected if we have a great transportation system.” Geraci went on to state that since 2008, Chicago had also seen its bus ridership decrease by 28 percent. Ultimately, this goes hand in hand with the issues that traffic congestion brings as well. Commuters do not want to sit in traffic on a bus filled with other people they don’t know. They would much rather be in their own vehicle or be driven, if they have the means to do so. With that being said, the city’s approach to enhance the bus experience throughout the city will certainly bring positive results if done correctly. For starters, we will all be better off with fewer cars on the road. It will not only help with increasing the air quality in downtown, but it was increase traffic safety. For us, that is the most critical aspect of this new plan. If the city initiates these proposals and traffic does decrease as a result, we should see that as a huge win for Chicago. The better chance of keeping vehicles and drivers off the road, the better position drivers are to get to their destination safely.