Experience matters for every driver who gets behind the wheel of a vehicle. In fact, you likely needed to complete many practice hours of driving before you earned your license. Commercial truck drivers face even stricter licensing requirements, such as needing to complete specialized driver training and passing a skills test.
Yet, even drivers with proper training can still be at risk for having an accident until they develop the experience they need to anticipate and mitigate potential hazards on the road. Truck driver turnover rates can put more inexperienced operators on the road, and it can also cause drivers with years of experience to make preventable mistakes.
Exploring why high turnover rates for truck drivers threaten everyone’s safety on public roads can help you understand the contributors to a major accident.
Taking a Look at What High Turnover Rates Indicate About a Company’s Practices
As a general rule, a high turnover rate in any industry often means that a company is overworking its employees and potentially engaging in unsafe practices. In the trucking industry, seeing high numbers of drivers leaving a company can be one of the first indications of an unsafe culture.
Truck drivers often leave companies when they are forced to work long hours that leave them vulnerable to fatigue. Or, a truck driver might opt to leave a company that doesn’t maintain their fleet properly. Although there are many laws in place that govern the trucking industry, drivers might feel pressured to ignore a safety issue they see during an inspection. Or, a driver might not feel comfortable driving past their legally allowed number of hours behind the wheel.
Seeing that a trucking company that is involved in an accident has a high turnover rate is a red flag for a truck accident lawyer. Many times, lawyers find that a company with rapid turnover has a long history of engaging in unsafe work practices that deter drivers from staying. This is just one way that lawyers hold trucking companies accountable.
Identifying unsafe working conditions for drivers is an effective way to begin reducing turnover rates that threaten public safety. If an accident investigation reveals that a company has been encouraging false documentation of a driver’s hours of service, then it may be necessary to work through the legal system to enact change.
Exploring the Effects of Driver Churn On Accident Rates
Inexperienced drivers aren’t the only concern with high turnover rates. Driver churn refers to the issue of experienced drivers frequently leaving one company to go to another in the hopes of finding better working conditions.
When an experienced driver starts working for a new company, they undergo a learning period that can also impact road safety. A driver with many years of experience operating commercial vehicles may still need to learn how to safely maneuver a new truck through public roads. A new fleet often introduces unfamiliar equipment, different types of cargo and an entirely new routing system that takes time for a driver to learn.
With new technology, the learning curve is often steeper than it was for drivers in the past. For instance, a new truck driver might need to relearn how to enter information into a navigation system. If they make mistakes, then they could be tempted to engage in distracted driving to find a new route. Or, an experienced driver could automatically attempt to control their vehicle using a past strategy rather than the new one based on body memory.
Although it is reasonable to expect that drivers will change companies over the course of their career, it is concerning when they do so frequently within short periods of time. Expecting trucking companies to implement plans to reduce turnover rates can keep more experienced drivers operating their fleets.
Understanding the Compounding Effects of Driver Shortages
As turnover rates increase, so do the effects on current drivers with a company. A driver shortage often leads companies to pressure truck operators to take extra routes. Truck drivers who fear for their jobs might be tempted to take on additional routes despite feeling too fatigued to drive safely.
Short-staffing also means that a lack of drivers could cause companies to miss important shipping deadlines. When this occurs, drivers may be pressured to engage in unsafe driving practices such as going above the required speed limit or opting not to take breaks.
Unfortunately, trying to speed with an oversized truck easily leads to significant accidents. The same is also true if a driver is pressured to continue operating their vehicle in hazardous conditions, such as in high-wind areas.
Fatigue-related accident rates often increase when there is a driver shortage, which could be avoided when companies focus on improving working conditions. Sadly, the safety issues tend to continue rising as companies scramble to put drivers in seats, whether they are prepared for a long-distance haul or not.
As a non-commercial driver, it is important to remain alert for signs that a commercial truck operator might be pushed beyond their limits. Seeing a truck that is speeding, veering from lane to lane or driving through unsafe conditions are all signs that a driver might be under pressure to meet deadlines despite being fatigued.
Watching for distracted or tired drivers can help you avoid some accidents. But, you might not be able to avoid being hit by a truck that is operated by a driver who falls asleep behind the wheel or a trailer that blows over in the wind.
If you are involved in a truck accident, then it helps to know that there are professionals available who can help you begin to identify the underlying cause. In many cases, accident investigations reveal that a trucking company has a long history of violations and collisions.
While seeing a high turnover rate for a trucking company is a red flag, it’s important to hold decision-makers responsible for encouraging unsafe driving practices. Holding trucking companies accountable for following the laws that are in place regarding driver licensing and hours of service can ensure that fewer accidents happen.
