Trucks are significantly larger and heavier than passenger vehicles, so they require substantially more time and distance to slow down safely. In fact, trucks can require up to 40 percent more distance to come to a complete stop than smaller vehicles. When a truck is traveling too fast, the driver simply may not be able to stop in time. Even a very small increase in speed can make a massive difference in stopping distance.

The Corporate Pressure Behind Speeding

Speeding in the commercial trucking industry is almost always tied directly to job demands. Research clearly shows that most long haul drivers report facing tight or totally unrealistic delivery schedules. That intense corporate pressure routinely leads to risky decisions behind the wheel.

The Leading Cause of Serious Accidents

Federal crash data proves that driver behavior is the absolute leading cause of serious truck accidents. Speeding and driving too fast for road conditions are among the most common factors. In fact, nearly a quarter of all large truck crashes involve excessive speed for the conditions present at the time.

Aggressive driving makes the situation infinitely worse. One recent study found that crashes involving aggressive behavior accounted for a significant share of commercial vehicle accidents and were dramatically more likely to result in severe injuries than distraction related crashes. That means when a truck driver speeds, follows passenger cars too closely, or drives aggressively to intimidate others, the consequences are always worse. Those deeply reckless driving behaviors turn routine traffic situations into catastrophic accidents with lifelong impacts.