Safe and efficient transportation of fiber is an essential component of the forest products supply chain, yet log truck crashes are believed to have increased across the United States. We examined two federally maintained databases to explore crash characteristics. Study objectives were to characterize log truck crashes nationally and regionally, and to compare log trucks to other similar trucks and assess differences. An analysis of 383 crashes involving log trucks across the U.S. were divided into four geographic regions for regional assessment. Results indicate that log trucks were significantly more likely to experience a rollover (p<.0001) as compared to other large trucks types. The average age of log trucks involved in fatal crashes (13 years) was significantly older (p=.0109) than overall average age for other large trucks (7.6 years). Log truck driver age was significantly different between region (p=.0269) with the highest average age in the Western region (53.4) and the lowest average age in the Midwest region (45.5). Calculations of crash rates revealed that the national average was 0.7 fatal log truck crashes per 100 million ft3 of wood harvested. The highest rate of log truck crashes occurred in the Southeast with 0.9 fatal crashes per 100 million ft3 of wood harvested. Between 2011 and 2015 fatal log truck crashes increased by 41%. Log tractor-trailer crashes increased 33% while all tractor-trailer crashes increased by 16%. Our findings reveal sufficient differences between log trucks and other large trucks to justify additional research regarding causation of crashes. / Master of Science / Safe and efficient transportation of raw materials to a processing facility is important to any industry, including the transportation of logs, pulpwood, and chips to forest products processing facilities. Although information regarding log truck crashes is clearly important, few studies have examined crashes specific to log trucks. Study objectives were to characterize log truck crashes nationally as well as regionally, and to compare log trucks to other similar trucks and assess differences. Analysis of data obtained from two federally maintained crash databases revealed that 383 crashes occurred over a 5-year period from 2011 to 2015 involving log trucks. Log trucks are more likely to experience a rollover during a crash with occurrences in 78% of fatal crashes. Both truck age and driver age differ significantly by region. Crash rates by state and region were calculated by comparing number of fatal crashes to the amount of wood harvested. The national average crash rate is 0.7 fatal log truck crashes per 100 million ft³ of wood harvested. The highest rate of log truck crashes is the Southeast with 0.9 fatalities per 100 million ft³ . Log tractor-trailer crashes increase by 33% between 2011 and 2015, while other large trucks increased by 16%. Log trucks are the oldest vehicles involved in fatal crashes, with an average age of 13 years, compared to the overall average for all trucks of 7.6 years. Our findings reveal sufficient differences between log trucks and other log truck to justify additional research regarding causation of crashes.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:VTETD/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/83486 |
| Date | 07 June 2018 |
| Creators | Cole, Neila B. |
| Contributors | Forest Resources and Environmental Conservation, Barrett, Scott M., Bolding, M. Chad, Aust, W. Michael |
| Publisher | Virginia Tech |
| Source Sets | Virginia Tech Theses and Dissertation |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | ETD, application/pdf |
| Rights | In Copyright, http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
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