Truck safety - Fatigue and inattentiveness behind most accidents

A new safety report indicates that nine out of ten truck accidents are the result of human factors.

The accident research team at Volvo trucks studied traffic safety and road accidents in Europe. Information was obtained from various national and European authorities. The research showed that 90% of all accidents were entirely or partly due to the human factor of drivers being distracted or misjudging their speed. Only 0.5% of truck drivers involved in serious accidents were under the influence of alcohol, compared to passenger cars which average between 15 and 20%.

Heavy trucks are involved in 17 % of all fatal accidents. The majority of accidents resulting in truck driver injuries are single vehicle accidents where the truck drives off the road. More than half of all accidents with trucks consist of collisions between cars and trucks. The full report can be downloaded from the Volvo website. Source: www.volvotrucks.com/trucks/global/en-gb/newsmedia/pressreleases/Pages/pressreleases.aspx?publd=14740