Certain business interests are lobbying Congress to dramatically expand the roads that heavy logging trucks can operate on. In addition to causing increased infrastructure damage, there are severe public safety concerns including higher fatality rates, rollover risk and the older average age of logging vehicles.
In 2016, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) delivered its three-year Comprehensive Truck Size and Weight Limits Study Report requested by Congress. That report found that heavier trucks had serious safety problems and would impose additional costs to our highway infrastructure. The Department recommended that Congress not approve any heavier trucks.[1]
Heavier Trucks Have Dramatically Higher Crash Rates
The 2016 USDOT study found that heavier trucks with six axles—both 91,000-pound and 97,000-pound configurations—had higher crash rates in the three states where there was sufficient data[2]:
Washington – 47 percent higher crash rates for six-axle trucks up to 91,000 pounds
Idaho – 99 percent higher crash rates for six-axle trucks up to 97,000 pounds
Michigan – 400 percent higher crash rates for six-axle trucks up to 97,000 pounds
The Problems with Heavier Logging Trucks
More severe crashes. In 2018, vehicles in logging truck crashes were 73% more likely to be involved in a fatality and 24% more likely to be involved in an injury when compared to those in all semi-truck crashes.[3]
More likely to roll over. Compared to all tractor-trailer crashes, log trucks experienced rollover in 21% of fatal crashes, nearly twice the average for large trucks.[4] These issues are likely caused by weight distribution[5], which would be exacerbated by increased weights.
Older average age of vehicles. Logging trucks had the oldest average age (13 years) of any class of truck involved in fatal crashes compared to an average of 7.6 years for all trucks. Older trucks require more maintenance and may lack recent safety features.[6]
Increased wear and tear. Increasing the weight of trucks causes additional wear and tear on key safety components. The 2016 USDOT study found that trucks weighing over 80,000 pounds had higher overall out-of-service (OOS) rates and 18 percent higher brake violation rates compared to those at or below 80,000 pounds.[7] This is especially important because a 2016 study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that trucks with any out-of-service violation are 362 percent more likely to be involved in a crash.[8]
Heavier Trucks Would Cause Significant Infrastructure Damage
USDOT found in its 2016 study that thousands of Interstate and other National Highway System bridges could not accommodate heavier trucks[9]. These bridges would need to be reinforced or replaced, costing billions of dollars. USDOT estimates the 91,000-pound, six-axle configuration would negatively affect more than 4,800 bridges, costing $1.1 billion.
[1] USDOT; 2016. Comprehensive Truck Size and Weight Limits Study, Final Report to Congress
[2] Ibid.
[3] FMCSA. Analysis & Information Online- Crash Statistics. MCMIS and FARS Database.
[4] International Journal of Forest Engineering; 2019. An analysis of fatal log truck crashes in the United States from 2011 through 2015. Neila B. Cole, Scott M. Barrett, M. Chad Bolding & W. Michael. 30:2, 121-131
[5] Ibid
[6] International Journal of Forest Engineering; 2019. An analysis of fatal log truck crashes in the United States from 2011 through 2015. Neila B. Cole, Scott M. Barrett, M. Chad Bolding & W. Michael. 30:2, 121-131
[7] USDOT; 2016. Comprehensive Truck Size and Weight Limits Study, Final Report to Congress
[8] Insurance Institute for Highway Safety; 2016. Crash Risk Factors for Interstate Large Trucks in North Carolina
[9] USDOT; 2016. Comprehensive Truck Size and Weight Limits Study, Final Report to Congress