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There a Link Between a Truck Driver's Pay and Driver Safety?
In
September 2002, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
sponsored a study to examine the link between truck driver pay
and safety. This comprehensive study, written by Michael Belzer,
Associate Professor of the College of Urban, Labor and Metropolitan
Affairs at Wayne State University, suggests that low driver
pay may be an important predictor of truck driver safety.
The study found that for drivers paid 20 cents per mile had
a positive incentive to work an average of 48.9 hours a week.
This incentive went up to 60.1 hours per week at 25 cents
per mile and 65.1 hours per week at 31.4 cents per mile. However,
at higher pay levels, the preference for more work hours declined
to 59.9 hours per week at 37.8 cents per mile and 50.6 hours
per week at 42.1 cents per mile.
This study went on to demonstrate that for every 10% increase
in driver compensation, the carriers experienced 9.2% fewer
crashes. However, this effect was not solely attributable
to the pay raise since individuals receiving the pay raise
tended to be more safe than other individuals.
Another safety study evaluated as part of this report showed
data which demonstrated that a 10% increase in the mileage
rate from 29.5 cents per mile to 32.4 cents per mile reduced
the probability of a crash from 13.8% to 10.86%. Also, this
study found that increasing the number of paid days off also
reduced the risk of a crash by 7%.
The study concluded that the results were consistent with
economics since most carriers paid drivers according to their
market value. Market value is determined by employment history,
driving record, training and experience. It was concluded
that safety outcomes were likely related to different individual
characteristics for which drivers are paid differently.
In summary, the study predicts that the relationship between
safety and pay is as low at a 2:1 ratio and as high as 1:4.
Higher pay will lead to a greater safety record by drivers,
which directly impacts overall production for the firm for
which they drive. These results spread out over a large trucking
firm could mean substantial savings in lives and property
loss through improved safety.
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