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Perspective: It’s time to put more troopers in trucks
'Trooper in a truck' programs are effective and garner support from truck drivers, so why aren't they more common?
Key Takeaways:
- Abbott argues Congress should expand funding for programs targeting the unsafe behaviors of passenger vehicle drivers around trucks, such as Trooper in a Truck initiatives.
- Passenger vehicle drivers cause most car-truck crashes, while federal safety funds largely support truck inspections despite weaker crash-risk correlations, writes Abbott.
- Abbott urges Congress to revisit the 10% funding cap so that enforcement agencies can focus more resources on dangerous motorist behavior.
For as long as cars and trucks have shared the road, truck drivers have complained about the behavior of unsafe motorists. Veteran drivers can rattle off countless examples of how reckless “four-wheelers” have nearly caused catastrophic events. In too many cases, even the most skilled and defensive truck drivers have been unable to avoid these crashes.
Research backs up what any experienced truck driver would tell you: Passenger vehicle drivers are responsible for most car-truck crashes. And in fatal crashes, they are responsible nearly three-quarters of the time, historical data shows. This should come as no surprise. Truck drivers are held to high standards when it comes to skills and background checks. Meanwhile, the bar for getting a standard driver’s license is comparatively low.
Some state enforcement agencies have taken creative steps to address these disparities. Programs like “Trooper in a Truck” place law enforcement officers in the passenger seats of tractor-trailers, giving them a clear vantage point to observe unsafe driving behaviors. From that elevated position, officers can spot texting, aggressive lane changes and improper passing. They can then coordinate with patrol units ahead to initiate traffic stops and hold unsafe motorists accountable.
Truck drivers are broadly supportive of these programs since they address long-standing frustrations. A quick internet search confirms that states including Wisconsin, Nebraska, Illinois, New Hampshire and Wyoming have adopted such initiatives. And the programs work. For example, officers in Wyoming initiated 36 traffic stops during a mere three-hour ride-along.
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Abbott
However, given the role passenger vehicle drivers play in truck crashes — and the potential to prevent them — a question arises: Why aren’t these programs more widespread?
One culprit: a funding restriction imposed by Congress in 2015. Each year, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration distributes about $500 million to state and local agencies to improve commercial vehicle safety. Most of this funding is used for roadside inspections of trucks and their drivers. Agencies may also use the funds for programs that focus on unsafe motorists operating around trucks. By law, however, they can allocate no more than 10% of these funds to enforcement efforts of this sort. States may apply for an exception, but the process itself is something of a deterrent.
This creates a contradiction. The same section of federal statute directs enforcement agencies to invest in “activities likely to generate maximum reductions in the number and severity of commercial motor vehicle crashes and in fatalities resulting from CMV crashes.” Yet in practice, most funding is spent inspecting equipment issues like lighting, brakes and tires — factors that have a weaker correlation to crash risk than unsafe driving behaviors, according to FMCSA data.
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The Ohio State Highway Patrol program Trooper in a Truck places law enforcement officers in the passenger seats of tractor-trailers, giving them a clear vantage point to observe unsafe driving behaviors. (Ohio Turnpike Commission)
FMCSA’s primary mission is to “reduce crashes, injuries and fatalities involving large trucks and buses.” The word “involving” is important. Industry critics often point out that trucks are disproportionately involved in highway crashes. But involvement does not equal causation. Preventing these incidents requires focusing on what actually causes them. To draw a comparison, convenience store clerks are involved in more holdups than people in other occupations, but I highly doubt many people view them as the source of the problem.
Perhaps it’s time Congress revisited the 10% cap on funding allotments to address the behavior of noncommercial motor vehicle drivers around trucks. Redirecting resources toward addressing the most dangerous behaviors — those of passenger vehicle drivers — would more effectively advance FMCSA’s mission. It would also bring cheers from millions of truck drivers who, for decades, have known where the money should be spent.
Fleetworthy’s Rob Abbott previously served as safety policy VP for American Trucking Associations, where he advocated on behalf of members before FMCSA and members of Congress.
