A SAFE PLACE TO REST

Even the most skillful truck driver becomes a highway hazard if deprived of sleep, but finding an appropriate place to stop and take a much-needed rest is a challenge for many truckers. In a 1999 survey, more than 36% of truck drivers said that finding a rest area is which to park is a problem every night. More than 80% said that at least once a week they continue to drive past the point of feeling safe and alert because they cannot find a place to stop and rest. In a 1997 survey of 593 long-distance truck drivers randomly selected at private truck stops and public rest areas in New York, 25% said that at least once during the last year they had fallen asleep while driving, and 17% said it occurred on more than one occasion. The frequency of not finding a parking space at a rest area--80% of the drivers reported that they were always or often unable to find a parking space at a public rest area at night--was associated with drivers who fell asleep at the wheel in the past year and a tendency to violate regulations. When asked what, if anything, discouraged their use of public rest areas in New York, 51% cited inadequate parking. Other common responses were enforcement of the 2-hour parking limit (28%), prostitution/solicitation (16%), lack of security (15%), and poor or expensive food (14%). The Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Federal Highway Administration are working on a solution. A report to Congress on the status of rest parking for truckers, along with recommendations for addressing shortages, is due in June 2001. A sidebar outlines the seven top concerns identified during a 1999 Rest Area Forum in Atlanta, Georgia, and some of the recommendations offered.

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  • English

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Filing Info

  • Accession Number: 00790633
  • Record Type: Publication
  • Files: TRIS, USDOT
  • Created Date: Apr 10 2000 12:00AM