By: Tony Russell
In October 2015, I began my trucking career. After completing driving school, I earned my CDL along with hazardous materials, tanker, and doubles/triples endorsements. My goal was simple: to be qualified to haul virtually anything, anywhere. Over the next decade, I did just that.
I’ve logged more than 1.2 million miles operating a wide range of equipment, including dry vans, refrigerated trailers, flatbeds, step-decks, double-drops, lowboys, liquid and dry bulk food-grade tankers, fuel tankers, dump trucks, and concrete mixers. Along the way, I worked alongside many outstanding professionals and unfortunately witnessed just as many unsafe practices.
Today, in my role at SRI, I combine my law enforcement background with firsthand industry experience to better understand not just what happens in commercial vehicle collisions, but why they happen. Below are six common habits I’ve repeatedly observed that contribute to preventable incidents. While not exhaustive, these patterns offer valuable insight into the human factors behind many crashes.
1. Skipping Proper Pre-Trip Inspections
One of the most widespread and dangerous habits among drivers is neglecting thorough pre-trip inspections. Too often, drivers log inspection time electronically without ever leaving the cab, offering little more than a quick glance at the tires.
Mechanical issues frequently exist before a vehicle ever leaves the truck stop. I’ve personally watched drivers pull onto highways with flat tires, unsecured equipment, and obvious mechanical defects that would have been immediately noticeable with a simple walkaround.
For investigators, this is critical. Many mechanical failures discovered after a collision may not have occurred at the moment of impact. They may have been present long before the truck ever entered the roadway.
2. Company Pressure to “Just Run It”
Even when drivers do identify mechanical issues, company responses can undermine safety. While many carriers promote safety in principle, production often takes priority when repairs threaten delivery schedules or revenue.
Roadside repairs are costly, and companies frequently push to delay fixes until trucks return to their home terminals, assuming the vehicle can still move. This puts drivers in difficult positions, often choosing between safety and income.
In some cases, this may even rise to violations of federal coercion laws. Many drivers lack the financial security to challenge unsafe directives, which can directly contribute to collisions involving known equipment issues.
3. Driving While Fatigued
Fatigue is a near-universal issue in commercial driving. Fourteen-hour workdays, tight schedules, long distances, and weeks without adequate rest take a toll on even the most disciplined drivers.
While regulations limit driving hours, fatigue can exist regardless of what a logbook reflects. Federal regulations clearly prohibit operating a commercial vehicle while fatigued, even if the driver remains within legal time limits.
When a driver fails to react appropriately, misjudges hazards, or appears confused before a crash, fatigue should always be considered as a contributing factor.
4. Distracted Driving Beyond Cell Phones
Cell phone use remains a major concern, and I’ve witnessed drivers texting, watching videos, gaming, and holding phones while driving, even in states with strict hands-free laws.
But distraction goes beyond phones. The cab of a truck doubles as a workplace, kitchen, and living space. Eating meals, handling paperwork, adjusting equipment, or reaching for personal items can all divert attention at critical moments.
The placement of devices can also offer clues. Phones mounted close to the driver’s line of sight often indicate frequent use while the vehicle is in motion.
5. Aggressive Driving and Time Pressure
Electronic logging systems and speed-governed trucks were introduced to improve safety. While they have limited some risky behavior, they have also created new pressures.
With less flexibility in scheduling and trucks often capped between 65 and 68 miles per hour, drivers compete for limited parking spaces and delivery windows. This results in prolonged passing attempts, frustration, and aggressive lane changes, particularly when trucks governed just one mile per hour apart attempt to overtake each other on hills and highways.
Witness statements and roadway evidence often reveal these aggressive behaviors leading up to serious collisions.
6. Continuing in Dangerous Weather Conditions
Many drivers continue operating in weather that should warrant stopping, including heavy rain, snow, ice, fog, or high winds, due to delivery pressure, limited parking availability, or financial concerns.
While some situations may require movement for safety, many collisions occur because drivers push forward when conditions clearly compromise vehicle control.
When weather plays a role in a crash, it is important to examine not only what happened, but why the driver chose to continue traveling in those conditions.
Final Thoughts
Every collision involves a combination of vehicle, environmental, and human factors. While mechanical failures and weather conditions are often apparent, the human decisions behind the wheel frequently provide the missing link in understanding how and why crashes occur.
With more than a decade of driving experience and over a million miles on the road, I’ve lived the realities commercial drivers face daily. These pressures, habits, and operational challenges are difficult to fully understand without firsthand experience, but they are central to many serious collisions.
When investigating commercial vehicle incidents, asking deeper questions about driver behavior, company practices, fatigue, and decision-making can reveal critical insights that may otherwise be overlooked.
If you would like additional perspective on a specific case or the human factors involved in a commercial vehicle collision, I am always happy to help.
By: Tony Russell
