Hours-of-Service Analysis Shows Continued Safety Improvement

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American Transportation Research Institute

May 19, 2010, 03:25 ET

ARLINGTON, Va., May 19 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Transportation Research Institute today released the results of its analysis of motor carrier safety performance under the current Hours-of-Service (HOS) rules. As part of ATRI's ongoing analysis of HOS-related safety impacts, this latest research included data from nearly 260 motor carriers, representing over 127,000 commercial drivers.

ATRI's analysis compared 2009 safety data to 2004 data collected as part of a previous HOS study. From 2004 – 2009, the total collision rate decreased 11.7 percent and preventable collisions decreased 30.6 percent.

Using 2009 data, the analysis found that the majority (87%) of commercial motor vehicle crashes occurred within the first eight hours of driving, with just 12 percent occurring in the 9-11th hours of driving. ATRI also examined driver use of the 34-hour restart provision, finding that in general it is used an average of three or fewer times per month.

A full copy of the report is available from ATRI at www.atri-online.org.

ATRI is the trucking industry's 501(c)(3) not-for-profit research organization. It is engaged in critical research relating to freight transportation's essential role in maintaining a safe, secure and efficient transportation system.

SOURCE American Transportation Research Institute