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MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY
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Trucking Accident Facts
More people are killed by Big Trucks in the US each year than US troups have been killed in the whole Iraq War!
Commercial trucks, semi trucks, tractor trailers, large freight carriers and 18 wheelers share the road with small passenger vehicles everyday.
On interstate and intrastate highways at break-necking speeds are where most truck accidents occur where more often than not these crashes result in severe injuries and even death.
Example: Big Truck Kills Frisco Family of Four Plus Six Others
Truck Accident Statistics
Big rig truck accidents involving small passenger vehicles or pedestrians often have very serious consequences for the victim. Big trucks can weight well over 85,000 pounds and as long as 80 feet or more. These staggering facts are just a part of what small passenger vehicle drivers must face on the road. It is not shocking that truck accidents result in more fatalities than any other traffic related accident.
Truck accident statistics are alarming. The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) regularly publishes statistics on trucking related injuries and accidents. A recent study revealed that over 500,000 truck accidents occur every year in the US. Of these trucking crashes, nearly 5,000 result in death.
Here are some interesting facts and statistics on truck accidents:
- In 2007, 136,438 large trucks and 12,498 buses involved in non-fatal crashes.
- In 2007, 54,961 large trucks and 6,709 buses involving in serious injury collisions.
- In 2007, 80,752 injuries in crashes involving large trucks and 15,297 injuries in crashes involving buses.
- In 2007, in Minnesota there were 2,277 large truck accidents.
- In 2007, in Texas there were 16,942 large truck accidents.
- In 2007, 81,477 large trucks and 5,789 buses involved in towaway crashes.
- 12% of all traffic deaths in the U.S. are as a result of truck accidents.
- Tractor trailer truck accidents are the most dangerous due to their weight.
- 98% of truck drivers in accidents are male.
- 75% of truck accidents are caused by error of small passenger vehicle drivers.
- In Pennsylvania, there were over 2,000 truck accidents occurred where 213 resulted in a fatality.
- In 2003, there were 58,512 fatal car crashes.
- In 2003, there were 4,669 fatal car crashes involving big-rig trucks.
- The majority of truck accidents occur in rural areas (69%) versus urban areas (31%)
- Trucking revenues totaled $610 billion last year and revenues are forecasted to nearly double by 2015.
- Driving under the influence of alcohol and drug abuse is one of the leading causes of truck crashes, injuries, and deaths.
- The leading cause of semi-truck crashes in the U.S. are due to overworked and fatigued truck drivers.
- More than 35% of truck drivers complain of driving without taking enough rest.
- The state with the highest number of fatal traffic accidents is California with 5,725 fatal car crashes in 2003.
- On average, 5,000 semi-trucks are involved in a fatal traffic accident every year.
- Tractor trailers are the most common truck configuration and account for over 60% of all fatal accidents.
- 360 pedestrians and 70 bicyclists are killed every year as a result of truck accidents.
- In 2000, the state with the highest number of fatal truck accidents was Texas with 499.
- The top 5 states for trucking crash fatalities in 2000 were: Texas, California, Florida, Georgia, Ohio, and New York.
- The FMCSA's Motor Carrier Management Information System (MCMIS) classifies a truck as large if its gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) exceeds 10,000 pounds.
- June is the month of the year when the majority of fatally involved truck accidents occur every year while April typically has the fewest.
- 67% of all trucking crashes occur during day time.
- 28.8% of fatal involvements occur on state highways, 26.3% on U.S. highways, and 25.4% on interstate highways.
From: Truck Accidents Factbook & The U.S. Dept of Transportation.
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The Solution
The DARPA Grand Challenge is a prize competition for driverless vehicles,
sponsored by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), the most
prominent research organization of the United States Defense Department.
Congress has authorized DARPA to award cash prizes to further DARPA’s mission to sponsor revolutionary,
high-payoff research that bridges the gap between fundamental discoveries and their use for national security.
DARPA has technologies needed to create the first fully autonomous ground vehicles capable of completing a
substantial off-road course within a limited time. The third event, The DARPA Urban Challenge, which
took place on November 3, 2007 and was broadcast via webcast, further advanced vehicle requirements to
include autonomous operation in a mock urban environment.
Technology developed for the DARPA events is the cornerstone of the
solution to developing retrofit equipment to make "big rig trucks" safer. Couple with the "driver alertness" checks,
a substantial reduction in fatal crashs involving "big-rigs" can be acheived.
Pictured below: (a)"big-rig" Grand Challenge entry (b) Grand
Challenge Winner and (c) Urban Challenge Winner.
(a) 
(b)
(c)
| AcroTek Motor Carrier Driver Assist |
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To begin, Driver Assist works by first observing a driver's behaviors, and then using this information to create a unique driver profile. During operation, a series of tests continually monitor driver input in relation to this profile, and in the event a deviation is encountered, the system then determines whether or not the deviation is a result of fatigue. If it is, Driver Assist alerts the driver both visually and audibly that it's time to take a break.
Of course, the engineering behind the system is far more complex. To determine a driver's profile, factors taken into account include speed, longitudinal and lateral acceleration, angle of the steering wheel, the way that the indicators and pedals are used, certain driver control actions, and even various external influences such as a side wind or an uneven road surface. During vehicle operations, these factors are then continually monitored, ensuring to a precise degree that erratic driving behavior is in fact a result of fatigue - not merely the byproduct of a passing gust of wind.
Accident researchers at AcroTek are acutely aware of the danger in nodding off at the wheel (the "one-second nap"). In the view of these specialists, long holiday journeys without intermediate breaks involve a high risk of overtiredness, whose signs drivers often fail to notice in time. For this reason AcroTek has developed the innovative driver support system Driver Assist. This is able to recognise driver fatigue at an early stage, and warn the driver that a break is called for soon. The system will enter series production in spring 2009.
Scientific studies indicate that around 25 percent of all serious accidents occurring on motorways are caused by overtired drivers. In other words, this accident cause is of even more significance than driving under the influence of alcohol.
During long-distance journeys in the dark, or under unchanging conditions at a constant cruising speed, the risk of the "one-second nap" is greatest because the driver's attention lapses and monotony increases the danger of falling asleep even further. Studies have shown that the reaction times of drivers can be 50 percent longer after only four hours of non-stop driving. The risk of an accident is doubled after this length of time, and after six hours of driving it is no less than eight times as high.
With the newly developed Driver Assist, AcroTek is continuing its practically-oriented commitment to accident prevention as already demonstrated by e.g. the Electronic Stability Program (ESP®) and Brake Assist, which have already led to a measurable improvement in traffic safety.
Driver Assist monitors the driving behaviour of the driver, generating an individual driver profile which is constantly compared to a flow of sensor data. This continuous monitoring is important, so that the system can recognise the driver's transition from alertness to drowsiness and warn him in good time.
Steering characteristics as the most important indicator of fatigue
In addition to the vehicle speed and linear/lateral acceleration, the AcroTek system also registers e.g. steering wheel movements, indicator and pedal operation, plus a number of specific control operations and external influences such as side winds or uneven road surfaces. Monitoring the driver's steering behaviour has proved to be particularly relevant, as an overtired driver has difficulty in keeping the vehicle precisely on track. He makes minor steering errors which are often quickly corrected in a characteristic manner. Intensive tests by AcroTek engineers involving more than 550 male and female drivers have shown that this effect already commences during an early phase of the onset of fatigue - usually before the highly dangerous "one-second nap".
The heart of the AcroTek system is an extremely sensitive sensor that enables the steering movements and their speed to be monitored very precisely.
During the first few minutes of each journey, Driver Assist uses these data to compile an individual driver
behaviour pattern which is constantly compared with the current steering behaviour and driving situation by
the onboard electronic control unit. This enables the system to recognise the typical signs of overtiredness
and warn the driver accordingly. This is done by an acoustic signal and a display in the instrument cluster
with the clear-cut advice: "Driver Assist. Break!"
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