The Role of Safety Culture in Preventing Commercial Motor Vehicle Crashes (2007)

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4Background The American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) recently released the results of a CMV “crash predictor model” study (Murray et al. 2005), which provides quantita- tive, statistical documentation of future crash probability based on several CDL driver risk behaviors. Research such as this backs the premise that en route risk behaviors are initi- ated by drivers. There also exists support for the idea that some carriers have become havens for, and even attract, unsafe drivers (Knipling et al. 2003). Both empirical and anecdotal evidence, however, support that “safe” carriers—as defined by numerous metrics including SafeStat scores, safety awards, and industry safety statistics—produce, attract, and retain safe drivers. While all major components that make up the safety culture of a motor carrier have not been adequately studied in past research, specific safety factors and correlations that contribute to safety culture do exist. These include compensation schema (ATA); non-financial reward programs (Transanalyt- ics, ATRI); and ISO 9000 certification’s nexus to safety (Naveh et al. 2003). It is also clear that other industry sectors that contain safety-sensitive positions such as aviation, mining and heavy equipment manufacturing have researched the tangible and intangible mechanisms that contribute to a positive safety environment. The following research identifies and analyzes significant safety and non-safety programs and initiatives across relevant sectors that create and support, or could create and support, a positive safety culture within the trucking and motorcoach industries. These programs and initiatives were synthesized and analyzed, resulting in a documented best practices outline of the factors and attributes that offers the greatest influence on developing and enhancing a culture of safety. The team also identified non-programmatic factors that help cultivate or improve an overall culture of safety, such as leadership roles (within management and among CMV drivers). Finally, in conjunction with CTBSSP Synthesis 12 data collection, the research team hopes to add to the overall CMV safety culture literature by identifying and demonstrating qualitative and quantitative relationships between positive safety cultures and safety outcomes as defined by the research, literature review, and industry members. Scope The objective of this synthesis was to provide information to assist the commercial vehicle safety management community (especially safety program managers) in understanding how and what company safety practices and philosophies favor and nurture safety in the workplace. Specifically, this synthesis investigated the following aspects of motor carriers and bus operators that define the concept known as safety culture: • Attitudes, values, norms, and beliefs with respect to risk and safety within bus and truck organizations and • Visible practices and procedures and the requisite behav- iors they target which characterize a “safe” commercial operator. This synthesis undertook three major research tasks to reach this objective: 1. The documentation and analysis of major factors, pro- grams, and attitudes that create a positive safety culture within trucking and motorcoach operations, 2. Discussion of the relationships between positive safety cultures and operational safety as defined by accepted safety metrics, and 3. The development of a high-level best practices guide for incorporating the significant programs and attributes into the safety programs of trucking and motorcoach operations. This last objective provides the practical transfer of research synthesis findings to industry safety stakeholders. C H A P T E R 1 Introduction

5Data Collection Approach Review of Literature The research team first investigated the full range of literature pertaining to organizational culture and safety, with a focus on research conducted on industrial and transporta- tion organizations. The literature review defined safety culture based on past research, and laid the foundation of safety culture in the motor carrier industries through an out- line of the pieces that make up a culture of safety within a motor carrier. More specifically, sources included academic journals, texts, and trade publications, including past research garnered from the following sources: • Transportation Research Information System (TRIS). • FMCSA research publications. • ATA Foundation, ATRI, and other industry research publications. • Transportation safety research literature. • Industrial safety management literature (e.g., Journal of Safety Research; Journal of Organizational Behavior Manage- ment; Professional Safety; and Occupational Health & Safety). • Published studies and articles relating to certification and self-evaluation programs in trucking safety and other related industrial activities. Surveys and Interviews Information was gathered through a broad truck and bus industry survey and one-on-one interviews to gain insight on overall industry understanding of safety culture, as well as experiences with and efforts to develop a safety culture within a commercial motor vehicle operation. The research team first surveyed a convenience sample of fleet safety managers to gain a better understanding of attitudes and other factors related to the understanding and development of a safety culture within a motor carrier. The research team also conducted in-depth, one-on-one interviews with members of motor carrier safety manage- ment divisions. This research task provided more candid information regarding motor carrier safety culture, as well as details on subjects/aspects of safety culture that fell outside the current body of literature. The research team also gained insight on safety culture by conducting one-on-one interviews with randomly selected CMV drivers and through the use of a survey guide. Finally, the research team conducted a series of three case studies to outline specific trucking company’s safety culture.