VEHICLE AND DRIVER FACTORS IN RELATION TO CRASH INVOLVEMENT OF HEAVY TRUCKS. PROCEEDINGS OF STRATEGIC HIGHWAY RESEARCH PROGRAM AND TRAFFIC SAFETY ON TWO CONTINENTS, GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN, 27-29 SEPTEMBER, 1989

For a two year period large truck crashes on the interstate system in Washington State were investigated using a case-control method. For each large truck involved in a crash, three trucks were randomly selected for inspection from the traffic stream at the same time and place as the crash but one week later. The effects of truck and driver characteristics on crashes were assessed by comparing their relative frequency among the crash-involved and comparison sample trucks. Truck configuration, truck equipment condition, and driving hours were the dominant factors associated with increased crash risk. Double trailer trucks were consistently over invloved in crashes by a factor of three regardless of driver age, hours of driving, cargo weight, or type of fleet. Driving in excess of eight hours increased the risk of crash involvement by a factor of two; drivers with log book violations, young drivers, and interstate drivers also had increased crash risks. Trucks with defective equipment were overinvolved in crashes. Trucks with brake defects had a crash risk one and one-half times that for trucks without brake defects. Trucks with steering defects had a risk that was at least twice that of trucks without defects.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/03476030
• Corporate Authors:

  Swedish National Road and Traffic Research Institute

  Drottning Kristinas Vaeg 25
  S-11428 Stockholm,   Sweden 
• Authors:
  • Jones, I S
  • Stein, H S
• Publication Date: 1990

Media Info

• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: p. 87-113
• Serial:
  • VTI Rapport
  • Publisher: Swedish National Road and Transport Research Institute (VTI)
  • ISSN: 0347-6030

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Age; Crashes; Drivers; Driving; Equipment maintenance; Fatigue (Physiological condition); Heavy vehicles; Human characteristics; Load factor; Vehicle weight
• Uncontrolled Terms: Driver age; Driver characteristics; Driving conditions
• Subject Areas: Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Safety and Human Factors; Society; Vehicles and Equipment; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00494085
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Swedish National Road and Traffic Research Institute
• Report/Paper Numbers: 351A, HS-040 861
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 30 1990 12:00AM