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Browsing by Author "Hickman, Jeffrey S."

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    Alcohol and Drug Testing: Informational Guidelines for Occupational Drivers
    Glenn, T. Laurel; Camden, Matthew C.; Hickman, Jeffrey S. (National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence, 2020-09-04)
    The Omnibus Transportation Employee Testing Act of 1991 requires all Department of Transportation (DOT) agencies to conduct drug and alcohol testing of safety-sensitive transportation employees, which includes commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers. This report surveys the research literature to outline the effects that alcohol and drugs have on CMV driving safety and provides an overview of the most common testing methods. Additionally, the report provides guidelines on maintaining a drug-free workplace in the CMV industry, covering best practices for drug and alcohol policy, employee training, employee assistance programs, drug and alcohol testing, and drug and alcohol program evaluation.
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    Applying the Crash Trifecta Approach to SHRP 2 Data
    Dunn, Naomi J.; Hickman, Jeffrey S.; Soccolich, Susan A.; Hanowski, Richard J. (National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence, 2018-04-06)
    The crash trifecta model does not consider crash genesis as a simple unitary element, but rather as a convergence of three separate, converging elements: (1) unsafe pre-incident behavior or maneuver; (2) transient driver inattention; and (3) an unexpected traffic event. Previous results from Phase I of the Crash Trifecta study showed that the presence of all three crash trifecta elements increased as the severity of a safety-critical event (SCE) increased. Given the limited number of crashes available in Phase I, however, it was not possible to identify trends in the presence of specific crash trifecta elements or to break the data down by incident type or crash severity. The current study built on the methods and results from Phase I by applying the crash trifecta model to the Second Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP 2) Naturalistic Driving Study (NDS), which greatly increased the number of SCEs available for analysis. The results of Phase II show that elements well within a driver’s control are at the core of the majority of SCEs. Unsafe driving behavior was the most prevalent crash trifecta element, occurring in 70% of crashes and 52% of near-crashes. Unsafe driving behavior combined with transient inattention contributed to over 25% of crashes and almost 33% of at-fault crashes in the current study, compared to 5% of near-crashes and 8% of at-fault near-crashes, indicating that a crash is much more likely to occur if the unsafe driver is also not paying attention. The prevalence of the remaining two crash trifecta elements (i.e., transient inattention and unexpected event) varied depending on the severity of the SCE. An unexpected event was more likely to be present in near-crashes (74%) compared to crashes (25%), while the opposite was true for transient inattention near-crashes (28%) and crashes (43%). The increased number of SCEs in Phase II compared Phase I meant that the data set could be broken down by incident type for a more in-depth assessment of the applicability of the crash trifecta model. Of the 16 different incident types, the most common crashes were animal related, rear end (striking), rear end (struck), and road departure (left or right). The most common near-crashes were animal related, rear end (striking), sideswipe (same direction), and turn into path (same direction). The majority of different types of near-crashes tended to be associated with pedestrians, animals, pedalcyclists, or other vehicles behaving unexpectedly. The presence of transient inattention in a number of incident types resulted in a higher proportion of crashes than near-crashes. As was the case in Phase I, the results of the current Phase II study suggest that assigning a single, unitary critical reason as the proximal cause of the SCE without considering additional contributing factors is likely to be a limitation that does not address the complexities involved in the genesis of a crash.
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    A Case Study Approach to Understand Heavy Truck Safety-critical Events in Work Zones
    Dunn, Naomi; Soccolich, Susan A.; Hickman, Jeffrey S. (National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence, 2022-08)
    Large trucks are overrepresented in work zone crashes. Data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts show that, in 2017, 30% of work zone fatal crashes and 12% of work zone injury crashes involved at least one large truck, which was more than double the percentage of all crashes that occurred outside of work zones, where 12% of fatal crashes and 5% of injury crashes involved at least one truck. This study used data from four major truck naturalistic driving studies to investigate the risk associated with a variety of work zone roadway, environmental, and safety features. The vast majority of the work zone observations occurred with no adverse weather conditions present, dry road conditions, straight roadway alignment, and light traffic, with roughly three-quarters of commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers wearing a seatbelt. The most common features observed in work zones were warning signs, barrel barriers, and lane closures, which were used in various combinations. Traffic cones were associated with an increase of safety-critical event (SCE) risk, likely as a result of their small size and being less visible to CMV drivers. Reflective signs, barrels, and concrete barriers, however, reduced the SCE risk for CMV drivers in work zones by 40%–60%. There was a small decrease in SCE risk associated with light traffic in a work zone compared to moderate and heavy traffic. There was also a nearly 3-times greater risk of a CMV driver being involved in an SCE in work zones on single-lane roadways versus four-lane roadways. Active work zones had nearly twice the SCE risk for CMV drivers compared to inactive work zones. In active work zones, non-driving-related distractions, internal distractions, and external distractions all resulted in an almost three-fold increase in SCE risk for CMV drivers. When planning smaller, more temporary work zones, it may be beneficial for worker and road user safety if planners employ larger, more visible safety barriers such as barrels and reflective signage.
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    Case Study on the Impact of Treating Sleep Apnea in Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers: Sleep Apnea Programs from Two Leading U.S. Carriers and Focus Group Findings
    Mabry, J. Erin; Baker, Stephanie Ann; Hickman, Jeffrey S.; Hanowski, Richard J. (National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence, 2012-09-28)
    Approximately one in four commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers in the U.S. are estimated to possess mild or higher levels of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the most common sleep-breathing disorder that is associated with significant medical consequences (including cardiovascular disease and diabetes). A major symptom of sleep apnea is excessive daytime sleepiness, which is highly correlated to impaired driving performance and may result in an increased risk of being in traffic--or work-related incidents. The most prescribed and cost-effective first-line treatment for OSA is nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP). Two leading U.S. carriers partnered with commercial sleep apnea providers to implement obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) programs that screen, diagnose, treat, and manage their OSA-positive CMV drivers. This case study provides an overview of these OSA programs; outlines each carrier's screening, testing, and compliance protocols; and compares and contrasts their approaches. Focus group research was also conducted with drivers and staff involved in each program to assess their perceptions and opinions of their respective OSA programs. While the majority of drivers expressed overall satisfaction participating in their carrier's OSA program, both drivers and staff stressed the difficulty of healthy eating, exercise, and weight loss as adjunct OSA treatments. Finally, staff expressed the importance of coordination between the carrier and the OSA provider to provide driver support.
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    Case Study on Worksite Health and Wellness Program for Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers
    Mabry, J. Erin; Hickman, Jeffrey S.; Hanowski, Richard J. (National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence, 2013-10)
    Due to the elevated prevalence of overweight and obesity in the transportation industry and the risks that accompany obesity, a health and wellness (H&W) program at a leading trucking organization was initiated to reduce obesity and the associated risks. In 2008 Schneider National Inc. (SNI), along with United Healthcare (UHC) and Atlas Ergonomics, launched a company-wide, voluntary H&W Program with their employees. Atlas is a leading ergonomic service and technology provider for healthcare, office, and transportation environments. Since the H&W Program launched in 2008, UHC and Atlas have worked with SNI to offer health and wellness programs, ergonomic and injury prevention services, on-site physical therapy and health screens, and overall wellness coaching to approximately 17,000 company-insured employees, including commercial drivers, at twelve SNI operating centers across the U.S. and Canada. Employee spouses are also eligible to enroll in the H&W Program. The purpose of this Case Study is to detail SNI’s H&W Program with Atlas Ergonomics and UHC and to evaluate the opinions, perceptions, and program satisfaction of participating drivers and program staff. The findings from this Case Study will aid in the development of recommendations for a carrier-implemented H&W program.
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    A Catalog of Health and Wellness Programs for Commercial Drivers
    Glenn, T. Laurel; Mabry, J. Erin; Hickman, Jeffrey S. (National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence, 2022-12-08)
    The purpose of this study was to identify, review, and document existing CMV driver H&W programs and to identify industry best practices. The study began with a thorough literature review to understand the common medical conditions found among CMV drivers and the health risks—both behavioral and environment—associated with driving a commercial vehicle, along with a review of existing risk factor intervention programs and H&W programs designed for commercial drivers. Next, the study team conducted phone interviews with fleet and industry representatives to document and detail their H&W programs and initiatives and to identify program metrics and reported outcomes. This report includes a discussion of key aspects of existing programs, program recruitment methods, health assessments and testing, health education and coaching, and follow-up and maintenance activities. Findings from this study will inform recommendations for a larger study to evaluate the effectiveness of an H&W program for motor carrier operations.
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    Commercial Motor Vehicle Crash Risk by Time of Day
    Camden, Matthew C.; Soccolich, Susan A.; Hickman, Jeffrey S.; Rossi-Alvarez, Alexandria; Hanowski, Richard J. (National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence, 2020-11-16)
    Despite a plethora of research examining commercial motor vehicle (CMV) crash risk as a function of time of day, there are few studies that have included objective measures of exposure. The purpose of this study was to use carrier-owned crash and electronic logging device (ELD) data to assess CMV crash rates and, as a function of time of day, using the amount of driving time in each hour as a measure of exposure. This study used the recently completed the Hour-of-Service (HOS) Rules Impact Analysis (under agency review), which contained crash and driver duty status data from 11 carriers with 36,000 crashes and ELD data from over 134,000 drivers over 21,639,182 log-days. The dataset included carrier descriptive information, detailed crash variables, driver log variables, and driver information. Three analyses were performed: crash rate by hour of day, crash rate by daytime vs. nighttime period, and crash rate by morning rush hour, evening rush hour, and non-rush hour periods. Results showed that CMV crash rates per 1 million driving hours were highest at nighttime in the 9:00 p.m. hour, 11:00 p.m. hour, and between 2:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. This study also provided some explanation for the inconsistencies in previous results regarding the effect of time of day on CMV crash risk related to operational differences among carriers.
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    Commercial Motor Vehicle Driver Risk Based on Age and Driving Experience
    Dunn, Naomi J.; Soccolich, Susan A.; Hickman, Jeffrey S. (National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence, 2020-04-17)
    The commercial motor vehicle (CMV) industry comprises a largely aging workforce, which adds to a widely held concern about a growing CMV driver shortage. As CMV drivers age and retire, there are fewer workers to step in and fill the gap. A possible solution to this problem is to recruit and hire younger drivers, although this poses a potential safety risk due to a lack of CMV driving experience among the younger driver population. However, it is largely unknown in the CMV industry what impact age has on driver risk independent of CMV driving experience, and vice versa. Thus, this study used data collected and compiled in a study sponsored by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Commercial Driver Safety Risk Factors (Hickman et al., under Agency review), from more than 9,000 CMV drivers to determine the impact of age and CMV driving experience on crash rates, crash involvement, and moving violations. The results indicate that, while both age and CMV driving experience play a role in driver risk, CMV driving experience is more important than age when considering risk. This may be especially true for older inexperienced CMV drivers (e.g., over 55 years of age with less than 1 year of CMV driving experience), who had higher crash rates and odds of being involved in a crash than their younger, inexperienced counterparts. Generally speaking, the first year of driving a CMV is riskier in terms of crash rates, crash involvement, and moving violations, regardless of age. Thus, motor carriers may want to focus on driver training, including engaging older, experienced drivers in driver mentoring programs to share their knowledge with inexperienced CMV drivers. In addition, there are vehicle technologies that use dash cameras to help fleet managers improve driver safety, such as the Lytx DriveCam system. These cameras continually record video and provide evidence-based opportunities for driver training, which may provide additional benefits.
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    Commercial Motor Vehicle Operator Fatigue Detection Technology Catalog and Review
    Mabry, J. Erin; Glenn, T. Laurel; Hickman, Jeffrey S. (National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence, 2019-02-21)
    According to the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine, fatigue plays a role in up to 20% of fatal commercial motor vehicle (CMV) crashes. Because fatigue is difficult to self-assess, the use of fatigue detection technologies is growing in the CMV industry. The Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) conducted a comprehensive literature review to identify the types of fatigue detection technologies that are commercially available and detail their respective features for application in CMV operations. The literature review discusses technologies that (i) detect fatigue using physiological sensors from the driver; (ii) use computer vision to monitor driver behavior and positioning; (iii) record and monitor driver performance metrics, and (iv) combine multiple measures in a hybrid approach to monitoring and detection. Informed by the technologies discussed in the literature review, the VTTI research team then developed an inventory of fatigue detection technologies that are currently commercially available for implementation in CMV operations. The inventory details their specific features, capabilities, limitations, applications, and efficacy (where available). Availability, cost, practicality for the industry, and stage of development for testing or implementation are also detailed for each technology. Finally, each technology is categorized, taking into consideration factors such as empirical validation, effectiveness, practicality, and availability.
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    Common Data Elements between the Large Truck Crash Causation Study Investigations and Commercially Available Onboard Monitoring Systems
    Marburg, T. Laurel; Hickman, Jeffrey S.; Hanowski, Richard J. (National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence, 2015-01-28)
    At the heart of traffic safety is the identification of factors that lead to crashes. With this knowledge, interventions can be developed to mitigate or prevent these factors from occurring in the future. Post hoc reconstructions of crashes (e.g., the Large Truck Crash Causation Study; LTCCS) and naturalistic driving studies have provided information on crash genesis. However, there is another source of driving data that is currently untapped. Today, numerous commercial vehicle fleets, transit fleets, and personal vehicles use onboard safety monitoring (OBSM) systems to monitor and improve driving behavior. Data from these video-based OBSM systems could be used by researchers to learn more about crash genesis and address some of the limitations inherent in post-crash reconstruction. This study created a data directory of common data elements in the LTCCS, commercially available, video-based OBSM systems, and other public sources to be used together to provide researchers with more valid and reliable information on crash genesis. Researchers used the LTCCS codebook as the structure of the new data directory. The LTCCS variables were analyzed by a trained researcher, who determined whether the variable could be collected with an OBSM system or through related information by using one of three responses: yes, no, and maybe. Lytx™ and SmartDrive were used as comparison OBSM system vendors to determine the kind and types of data they can capture. Other related sources such as Police Accident Reports (PARs) were used as possible sources of information for each variable when relevant. If a variable was labeled as “MAYBE,” the conditions under which the variable could be captured by a video-based OBSM system or through related information were outlined. Analysis determined that approximately half of all 802 variables in the LTCCS codebook could be captured using video-based OBSM systems and related information. In addition, another almost 30% of the variables were labeled as “MAYBE.” An analysis of the data collected in the actual LTCCS revealed that only 75% of the crashes had data and 48% of the variables had the option to be coded as “unknown.” Based on the results in the current report, it appears that the use of OBSM systems and other data sources could yield a similar amount of data as that obtained by data analysts in the LTCCS.
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    A Comparison of Feedforward versus Feedback Interventions for Safety Self-Management in Mining Operations
    Hickman, Jeffrey S. (Virginia Tech, 2002-04-12)
    This quasi-experimental field study examined the efficacy of a safety self-management intervention to increase safety-related work practices in mining operations. A total of 15 male miners participated in the study while engaging in their normal work practices at the Virginia Tech Quarry, located in Blacksburg, Virginia. The study had two groups, Feedforward (n=8)--participants self-recorded their intentions to engage in specific percentages of safety-related work behaviors before starting their shift for the day, and Feedback (n=7)--participants self-recorded their percentages of safety-related work behaviors after their shift for the day. After a seven-week Baseline, miners participated in a safety training presentation. Immediately following this training, participants from each group were instructed to complete one self-monitoring form each day on their self-intentions (Feedforward) or actual (Feedback) safety performance for four weeks. Participants were paid $1.00 for each completed self-monitoring form. All completed forms were entered into a raffle for a cash prize of $50.00 at the end of the Intervention phase. During Withdrawal (four weeks) miners did not complete any self-monitoring forms. Trained research assistants made a total of 10, 905 obtrusive behavioral observations on three target behaviors (ear plugs, dust mask, and safety glasses) and five non-target behaviors (gloves, hard hat, boots, knee position during lifts, body position during lifts) across phases. Results showed the safety self-management intervention significantly increased safety performance across both target and non-target behaviors during the Intervention phase.
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    A Complex Driving Scenario for Describing Safety-Critical Event Causation
    Dunn, Naomi J.; Hickman, Jeffrey S.; Hanowski, Richard J. (2014-08-25)
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    Crash Trifecta: A Complex Driving Scenario Describing Crash Causation
    Dunn, Naomi J.; Hickman, Jeffrey S.; Hanowski, Richard J. (National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence, 2014-07-28)
    When determining crash causation, crash databases emphasize a single, unitary critical reason (CR) as the primary proximal cause of a safety-critical event (SCE), which leaves no room for the specification of any other potential contributing factors to the crash/event genesis. This is despite the fact that it is well established in the transportation safety field that crash genesis typically involves a convergence of several factors. The aim of this study was to investigate the crash trifecta concept to determine if the convergence of multiple elements, rather than a single, unitary critical reason, has greater value in explaining the complexities of crash genesis. Specifically, the crash trifecta concept is defined as three separate, but converging, elements: 1. Unsafe pre-incident behavior or maneuver (e.g., speeding, tailgating, unsafe turn); 2. Transient driver inattention (which may be driving related, such as mirror use, or unrelated, such as reaching for an object); and 3. An unexpected traffic event (e.g., unexpected stopping by the vehicle ahead). The value of the crash trifecta concept and convergence concepts in crash causation is that these concepts provide a structure for understanding the complexities of crash genesis. Thus, the crash trifecta concept may help explain the differences between the genesis of a crash and lower-severity SCEs (e.g., near-crashes).
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    Developing a Web-Based Return-on-Investment Calculator for Truck Safety Technologies
    Camden, Matthew C.; Medina-Flintsch, Alejandra; Hickman, Jeffrey S.; Feng, Xueting; Hanowski, Richard J. (National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence, 2020-10-08)
    Although large truck advanced safety technologies such as automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning, and video-based onboard monitoring are becoming more prevalent, adoption rates and use are lagging due to concerns about return on investment (ROI). To address this, researchers at the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) developed an Excel-based ROI calculator and accompanying user manual. This report describes an extension of that original project: a web-based version of that calculator available at https://www.vtti.vt.edu/roicalculator/. The report describes the rationale behind the calculator and an provides an overview of the resources available on the website.
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    Driver Detention Times in Commercial Motor Vehicle Operations
    Dunn, Naomi J.; Hickman, Jeffrey S.; Soccolich, Susan A.; Hanowski, Richard J. (United States. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Office of Analysis, Research, and Technology, 2014-12)
    The purpose of this project was to quantitatively identify detention times in the commercial motor vehicle (CMV) industry. Although there is currently no standard definition, the industry commonly defines detention time as “any time drivers have to wait beyond 2 hours, which is the average time it takes to load or unload their cargo." Results indicated that drivers experienced detention time on approximately 1 in every 10 stops for an average duration of 1.4 hours. This represents the length of time the driver was detained beyond 2 hours; thus, he/she was loading/unloading at that delivery location for 3.4 hours in total. Medium-sized carriers (51-500 power units) had similar average detention times as large carriers (more than 500 power units); however, they experienced driver detention about twice as often as large carriers. For example, 19 percent of stops made by medium-sized carriers were accompanied by detention time compared to 9 percent of stops made by large carriers. The calculation of odds ratios (ORs) provided similar results for medium-sized carriers when compared to large carriers. The odds of a driver being detained were 2.17 times greater for medium-sized carriers than for large carriers. Operation type did not have much impact on the average length of detention time; however, operation type influenced how frequently drivers experienced detention time, with for-hire truck load (TL) carriers experiencing detention time more than twice as frequently as for-hire less-than-truckload (LTL) carriers and four times more often than private carriers. The OR analysis also indicated that for-hire TL carriers were worse off than for-hire LTL or private carriers. The odds of a driver being detained were nearly 5 times greater for for-hire TL carriers than for private carriers and 2.6 times greater than for for-hire LTL carriers. The odds of a driver being detained were 6.3 and 1.9 times greater for temperature controlled freight carriers than for dry bulk carriers, and liquid bulk/tank freight carriers, respectively.
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    The Drowsy Driver Warning System Field Operational Test: Data Collection Methods: Final Report
    Hanowski, Richard J.; Blanco, Myra; Nakata, Akiko; Hickman, Jeffrey S.; Schaudt, William A.; Fumero, Maria C.; Olson, Rebecca Lynn; Jermeland, Julie; Greening, Michael; Holbrook, G. Thomas; Knipling, Ronald R.; Madison, Phillip (United States. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2008-09)
    A Drowsy Driver Warning System (DDWS) detects physiological and/or performance indications of driver drowsiness and provides feedback to drivers regarding their state. The primary function of a DDWS is to provide information that will alert drivers to their drowsy state and motivate them to seek rest or take other corrective steps to increase alertness. The system tested in this study was the Driver Fatigue Monitor (DFM) developed by Attention Technologies, Inc., which estimates PERCLOS (percent eye closure). The primary goal of this field operational test (FOT) was to determine the safety benefits and operational capabilities, limitations, and characteristics of the DFM. The FOT was conducted in a naturalistic driving environment and data were collected from actual truck drivers driving commercial trucks. During the course of the study, 46 trucks were instrumented with a Data Acquisition System (DAS). Over 100 data variables such as the PERCLOS output from the DFM and driving performance data (e.g., lane position, speed, and longitudinal acceleration) were collected. Other collected measures included video, actigraphy, and questionnaires. The FOT had 103 drivers participate. Drivers were randomly assigned to either control (24 drivers) or experimental groups (79 drivers). The data collected include the following: approximately 46,000 driving-data hours; 397 load history files from 103 drivers; approximately 195,000 hours of activity/sleep data; questionnaires from all drivers; fleet management surveys from each company; and focus group results collected from 14 drivers during two post-study focus group sessions. The focus of this report is the description of the data collection procedures.
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    Effective Strategies to Improve Safety: Case Studies of Commercial Motor Carrier Safety Advancement
    Camden, Matthew C.; Hickman, Jeffrey S.; Hanowski, Richard J. (National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence, 2019-04-30)
    Although previous research has documented safety improvement strategies, many carriers may not have real-world data and/or information on the strategies that other carriers have successfully used to improve safety. This study identified strategies that CMV fleets have successfully used to improve their safety outcomes. The research team worked with CMV insurers and state trucking associations to identify nine CMV carriers that successfully improved safety outcomes. Safety improvements involved Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration-reportable crashes, less severe crashes, insurance claims, and/or Compliance, Safety, and Accountability (CSA) Behavior Analysis and Safety Improvement Category (BASIC) scores. After verifying these improved safety outcomes, the research team recruited the nine carriers to participate in an hour-long interview to document the strategies they used. Successful strategies included comprehensive driver training, collision mitigation technologies, onboard safety monitoring, strict hiring criteria, and developing a strong safety culture.
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    Effective Use of Commercially Available Onboard Safety Monitoring Technologies: Guidance for Commercial Motor Vehicle Carriers
    Camden, Matthew C.; Hickman, Jeffrey S.; Hanowski, Richard J. (National Surface Transportation Safety Center for Excellence, 2015-03-03)
    Studies show that most commercial motor vehicle (CMV) crashes involve risky driving behaviors or errors on the part of the driver and thus are preventable. One method to reduce risky driving behaviors is through the use of onboard safety monitoring (OSM) technologies. OSM devices incorporate in-vehicle recording technology that can continuously measure and record the driver’s performance. However, the implementation of OSM systems involves more than installing the technology in vehicles. It requires detailed planning and involvement from all levels within a fleet. Furthermore, criticism and resistance can be expected when implementing an OSM device. The purpose of this project is to provide a manual for use by fleet management personnel prior to implementing an OSM technology (or for carriers that have implemented an OSM device but who are having problems achieving results). This manual is a practical, easy-to-understand reference guide for implementing an OSM program. It includes an overview of safety culture, a step-by-step guide for implementing a behavior-based safety (BBS) program in conjunction with an OSM device, and provides a list of commercially available OSM systems.
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    Enhanced Camera/Video Imaging Systems (E-C/VISs) for Heavy Vehicles
    Wierwille, Walter W.; Bowman, Darrell Scott; Alden, Andrew S.; Gibbons, Ronald B.; Hanowski, Richard J.; Blanco, Myra; Leeson, B.; Hickman, Jeffrey S. (United States. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 2011-06)
    Tests were performed to determine the feasibility of developing an Enhanced Camera/Video Imaging System (Enhanced C/VIS or E-C/VIS) to provide heavy-vehicle drivers with better situation awareness to the sides and rear of their vehicles. It is well known that large blind spots currently exist in these areas and that sideswipe crashes can occur as a result. An additional goal was to extend the operating envelope of conventional video to nighttime and to inclement weather. A three-channel system was envisioned in which there would be a camera at each (front) fender of the tractor looking backward along the sides of the rig. The third channel would be aimed rearward from the back of the trailer. The current document describes the project results. Indoor tests involved selection of components having the best capabilities, while early outdoor tests used the selected components in a single-channel side mounted system. Subjects evaluated rain and dark conditions. Results were satisfactory. Once developed, the three-channel system was tested and found to work well in the nighttime and inclement weather environments. Street lighting was also included in the testing.
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    Evaluating the Potential Safety Benefits of Electronic Hours-of-service Recorders Final Report
    Hickman, Jeffrey S.; Camden, Matthew C.; Guo, Feng; Dunn, Naomi J.; Hanowski, Richard J. (United States. Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. Office of Analysis, Research, and Technology, 2014-04)
    The purpose of the current study was to assess the benefits of installed electronic hours-of-service recorders (EHSRs) on safety and hours-of-service (HOS) violations related to Class 7 and 8 trucks as they operated during normal revenue service. Data were obtained through a third-party vendor that compiled previously-generated compliance data regarding participating motor carriers. Although the final data sets included data from 11 carriers representing small, medium, and large carriers (including a total of 82,943 crashes, 970 HOS violations, and 224,034 truck-years that drove a total of 15.6 billion miles), the data set in the current study was skewed toward larger, for-hire carriers and may not represent the overall U.S. trucking population. After controlling for calendar year, carriers in the data set, onboard safety system (OBSS) status, and long-haul/regional indicator, EHSR-equipped trucks had a significantly lower total crash rate (11.7 percent reduction) and a significantly lower preventable crash rate (5.1 percent reduction) than trucks not equipped with an EHSR. Small sample sizes limited the power to detect a significant difference between the EHSR cohort and the non-EHSR cohort for U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT)-recordable and fatigue-related crashes. This result is primarily attributed to the lack of sufficient data (in terms of the number of these types of crashes) to be able to detect safety benefits with statistical significance at the observed level. After controlling for year, carrier index, OBSS status, and long-haul/regional indicator, EHSR-equipped trucks had a 53 percent lower driving-related HOS violation rate and a 49 percent lower non-driving-related HOS violation rate than trucks not equipped with EHSRs. The results show a clear safety benefit, in terms of crash and HOS violation reductions, for trucks equipped with EHSRs.