December 2006 - 2006 Shoulder Belt Usage by Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers

In a recently released report, 2006 Shoulder Belt Usage by Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers, the Department of Transportation's Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration found only 59 percent of all commercial motor vehicle (CMV) drivers of Class 7 and 8 trucks (26,000 lbs or more) wear safety belts. In comparison, 79 percent of passenger vehicle drivers wear safety belts.

Most crashes that are fatal to truck drivers involve running off the road and rolling over or hitting a large stationary object (e.g., tree, bridge abutment, or culvert). Many of the drivers killed in these types of crashes died because they failed to wear their shoulder belts and were ejected from the CMV. An analysis of fatal accidents in 2002 indicated that, of the 588 commercial drivers killed in crashes, more than half were not wearing safety belts. Of the 171 drivers who were ejected from their trucks, almost 80 percent of them were not wearing safety belts.

The 2006 overall shoulder belt usage rate for all Class 7 and 8 trucks combined was 59 percent. The 2006 usage rate for drivers of those units where the truck was identified as a major regional or national fleet was 75 percent, versus 41 percent for independent and local fleets.

Usage among independents was measured at 44 percent. However, it was speculated that independents may be more likely to have lap belts (referred to as Type 1 restraints in federal regulations) than shoulder belts (i.e., Type 2) and thus were less likely to be observed as users.

Among cargo types, the highest usage rates were observed among the drivers of single tankers (83%) and HAZMAT tractor-trailer combinations (84%). The lowest rates among truck types were observed in single dump trucks and bobtails. The usage rate among commercial vehicles was observed to be higher on weekdays (60%) than on weekends (57%).

To obtain a copy of the final report, 2006 Shoulder Belt Usage by Commercial Motor Vehicle Drivers, contact Janet Kumer, FMCSA Safety Belt Program Manager, at (202) 493-0538 or janet.kumer@dot.gov. To view an Executive Summary of the report, click on the following link: www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safety-security/safety-belt/exec-summary-2006.htm#results.

COPYRIGHT ©2005, ISO Services Properties, Inc.

The information contained in this publication was obtained from sources believed to be reliable. ISO Services Properties, Inc., its companies and employees make no guarantee of results and assume no liability in connection with either the information herein contained or the safety suggestions herein made. Moreover, it cannot be assumed that every acceptable safety procedure is contained herein or that abnormal or unusual circumstances may not warrant or require further or additional procedure.