Had A Nice Drive Today And Came Up With This Question....

Today I had to go from Charlotte to Dublin Va. While on my drive I was looking at all the truck drivers I passed. Some looked more comfortable and confident than others. This thought started to formulate: At any given time how many trucks are being driven by people with less than one year experience. Couple this with the numb nuts who cut off and tailgate these 80,000 pound behemoths and it's a wonder more people aren't killed every day. I doubt there is a way to quantify this. If there is Rick will figure it out and share it with us.

Not really sure what it is you're asking.

There are no searchable statistics for how many new drivers are entering the trade each year.

And the number of numbskulls that don't know how to behave around trucks, are equal to or greater than those numbskulls that do even worse around motorcycles.

Though sadder still - I have seen some similarly numbskull behavior executed by TT drivers.

No segment of the driving public it seems, is immune from numbskullery.

Some interesting factoids though:

What are some facts about truck driving accidents? Commercial trucks are involved in 2.4% of all car accidents. Trucks are 3 times less likely to be in an accident than a regular motor vehicle. One person is injured or killed in a truck accident every 16 minutes.

How many truck accidents occur every year? The United States Department of Transportation estimates that over 500,000 truck accidents occur every year.

What is the cause of the truck accidents More than 75% of truck driving accidents are due to the driver of the passenger vehicle. Only 16% of all truck driving accidents are due to the truck driver’s fault.

How many people are seriously injured in a truck accident? Nearly 5,000 people are killed in truck accidents every year.Nearly 98% of the time, the drivers of the other vehicle are killed in a truck accident.

When do most truck accidents occur? 68% of truck accidents occur in rural areas with 68% occurring during the day time and 78% occurring on the weekends.

Which states have the highest number of truck accidents? The highest number of truck accidents occur in California, Texas, Florida, Georgia, and Pennsylvania.In 2003, California had 5,725 fatal vehicle accidents and 332 fatal truck accidents.

Rick

I just want to repeat one of the most important of the above statistics:

What is the cause of the truck accidents More than 75% of truck driving accidents are due to the driver of the passenger vehicle. Only 16% of all truck driving accidents are due to the truck driver’s fault.

Five out of six car vs truck accidents are on the car driver, not the truck driver!

Nonetheless, if you ever get in one, no matter who's fault, you may be in the wintness stand explaining how much sleep you got, and how you do your pre-trip, among other things.

As for what road expend does for you, keep this in mind: new drivers can be really nervous, so they really pay attention. After a while, the not-so-new driver relaxes. Then BAM!

I know the statistic for new motorcycle drivers: your first accident is about 3 years into your riding. Same reason: the new guy relaxes when he shouldn't.

Something I just thought of: If you're in a serious accident, and let's assume it's the car that is at fault but we know you're on the way to court because that's just the way it is, do you have the right to remain silent until you speak to an attorney? I know certain professions like police officers lose that right because it's "administrative" even though what you say can be used against you.

I wasn't so much rhinking about accidents, just thinking about how most people are oblivious to what kind of experience the driver of the truck they are about to cut off has. Or just that there could be more less experienced than more experienced truck drivers out there. I'm sure most of them don't get into major wrecks.

I wasn't so much rhinking about accidents, just thinking about how most people are oblivious to what kind of experience the driver of the truck they are about to cut off has. Or just that there could be more less experienced than more experienced truck drivers out there. I'm sure most of them don't get into major wrecks.

Got it. True, many 4-wheeler drivers think that trucks drive just like cars - including stopping distance and worse, maneuverability. So, it's good for the truck driver to get experience understanding this and drive accordingly.

I wasn't so much rhinking about accidents, just thinking about how most people are oblivious to what kind of experience the driver of the truck they are about to cut off has. Or just that there could be more less experienced than more experienced truck drivers out there. I'm sure most of them don't get into major wrecks.

Got it. True, many 4-wheeler drivers think that trucks drive just like cars - including stopping distance and worse, maneuverability. So, it's good for the truck driver to get experience understanding this and drive accordingly.

Yes, I see it all the time. I also "love" it when a tuck is tailgating me at 70 mph. I guess the more you drive the more craziness you see.

A couple of days ago in Seattle, Wa a guy supposivily commited suicide by walking into the path of a semi truck driver heading south on I 5. Think it was dark out and caused huge traffic jamb. My thoughts were just wondering what scrunity the driver had to go through!

A couple of days ago in Seattle, Wa a guy supposivily commited suicide by walking into the path of a semi truck driver heading south on I 5. Think it was dark out and caused huge traffic jamb. My thoughts were just wondering what scrunity the driver had to go through!

And mental therapy for vaporizing a pedestrian.

A couple of days ago in Seattle, Wa a guy supposivily commited suicide by walking into the path of a semi truck driver heading south on I 5. Think it was dark out and caused huge traffic jamb. My thoughts were just wondering what scrunity the driver had to go through!

And mental therapy for vaporizing a pedestrian.

Driver will have his log books picked apart (and they'd better be RIGHTEOUS), and will be taken immediately for drug/alcohol testing (better be righteous there too).

Hate to sound all callous/cavelier - but I've "taken out" 2 pedestrians. Both drunk, both ran in front of me, both I had no opportunity to stop.

One, I was on a motorcycle - slid 127' down the road - he got the white sheet, I got a helicopter ride. The other, was more of a "bump" - ran in front of me at the last second - he had done this a bunch of times with other cars. He just got a dislocated hip and broken femur. I got a $,1200 body shop bill. Neither one was I at fault even remotely.

Neither one did I lose a wink of sleep over - tho I had a hard time sleeping from the broken bones and road rash for a week or two after the bike wreck.

Rick