Driver control in the trucking industry

Motor carriers have known for years that the primary cause of accidents is human error, so they have established driver control procedures as a means of reducing the potential for such error. The driver qualification rules are the foundation stone for a driver control program. They are designed to assure that a driver has the maturity, ability, knowledge, and physical health necessary for safe operation of a truck in interstate commerce. These procedures have been highly effective in the past and have resulted in our industry's safety record being the best of any highway user group. Accident data based on state and federal statistics shows that the accident involvement rate for all vehicles is 11.00 accidents per million miles, but the rate for tractor semi-trailers is only 3.23.