The motor carrier industry has been one of the most popular and attractive in Ohio recently. New drivers are starting their trucking careers every day of the week. However, the surge in new applicants has led to a surge in crashes. Understanding the reasons for this jump may eventually help keep drivers and pedestrians safer.
Statistics of new entrants
New entrants have exploded in the trucking industry recently. There are more than 8,000 new applicants for motor carrier licenses every month. These individuals have been making up a larger and larger percentage of those who have gotten into accidents.
The percentage of 2018 applicants involved in an accident rose from about one percent five years ago to three percent in 2021. This change involves a jump of thousands of accidents attributed to these newer drivers. Statistics of increased crashes lead to a wide variety of other ill effects. In addition to damaging property, an unfortunately large number of crashes lead to serious personal injury.
Reasons
There are a number of possible reasons for this jump in crashes. The clearest reason is the uptick in drivers since the beginning of the pandemic. Thousands of new drivers have greatly increased the percentage of new drivers on the roads.
These new drivers are less committed to the field in many instances and less experienced in the trucking field. Many drivers come from other industries and do not have families or a social connection to the industry. Over time, more serious entrants who are committed to both safety and profit are likely to emerge. They have the possibility of reducing this dynamic and making the trucking industry safer.