Welcome to the Fuel Matters Blog

Truck safety the most important part in the transportation industry. According to CDL Knowledge, in 2015 there were 415,000 crashes involving large trucks. Of those, 4,050 were fatal incidents and there were a total 87,000 injuries. Most people who died as a result of these large truck crashes were in cars or passenger vehicles. Only 16% of truck occupants died compared the 69% of car occupants. The top three causes of truck accidents in 2015 were; prescription drugs (26%), driving too fast (23%), and over the counter drugs (17%). The impact that truck safety can have is astounding and there are many organizations around the country committed to improving safety and educating drivers. While some may require registration or membership fees, the amount of value safety training could provide greatly outweighs the costs.

November is here, and that means it is peak deer season. Avid hunters rejoice while motorists take warning now that mornings and evening commutes are bathed in darkness. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, “Animal-strike-related insurance claims are more than twice as frequent as the yearly average in November, when the search for a mate keeps the big bucks on the move, according to an analysis of claims from 2006 to 2018 conducted by the Highway Loss Data Institute. The severity of claims, measured in dollars insurers pay to cover losses, also soars during the peak month. The average cost of November animal-strike claims over the 13-year period was $3,560, compared with $2,801 for February, the month with the least severe crashes.”

Did you know that April is National Distracted Driver Awareness month?  Every day at least nine Americans die and 100 are injured in crashes caused by distracted driving.  Many things are to blame; cell phones, touch screens, the environment and technology all pose a threat to our safety while on the road.  Distracted Driver Awareness month is in an effort to recognize all the dangers our truckers face on a day-to-day basis. 

The evolution of technology in the world of trucking took another step forward at the close of 2018.    Companies like Stoneridge, Inc are focusing on new ways to improve driver safety and fuel efficiency by increasing driver vision through the use of Camera Monitoring Systems (CMS).  According to the Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ), the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has granted Stoneridge a five-year exemption from federal law requiring conventional rear-vision mirrors to allow trucks to use their multi-camera angle MirrorEye system as a replacement to standard rear-vision side mirrors.

Technology is vastly changing the landscape in the transportation industry. In regards to the modern automobile, one part of the vehicle has gone without advancement. The metal license plate has not changed since New York became the first state to require license plates in 1901.