Try to guess the main cause of stress for truck drivers. There are plenty of options: reckless driving, dangerous weather, long hours. But none of these is the answer.
Parking is the number one stressor reported by 85% of large commercial motor vehicle drivers, according to FreightWaves. It’s also a common complaint we see from truckers on our Facebook posts, so we decided to look into it.
In recent years, the number of trucks on the road has grown, yet adequate parking areas have not. In fact, across the United States, there is one parking spot for every 11 truck drivers. The result is a parking crisis that too often turns deadly.
Semi tractor-trailers parked on exit ramps
Faced with a parking space shortage, truck drivers across the country have resorted to parking on the side of the road, shoulders or exit ramps. Due to HOS (hours-of-service) rules, commercial motor vehicle drivers must take breaks at certain time intervals.
Truckers face consequences for violating HOS regulations, so many of them choose to pull over when it’s time to rest, even if they don’t have a safe space to do so. But parking on the roadside is dangerous and, in most cases, illegal. Vehicles on the roadside — especially vehicles as large as semis — are an obstacle to regular traffic.
In July 2023, a widely publicized collision occurred when a Greyhound bus crashed into three semi tractor-trailers parked overnight on an exit in Illinois. Three bus passengers died and 14 were injured.
When large trucks park near the road in the dark without their lights on — or even in broad daylight — tragic accidents occur. Often, the trucking companies or the drivers themselves are sued for negligence.
In 2020, heavy trucks parked on and near ramps were involved in 4,000 injury accidents, according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
Are trucks allowed to park on the shoulder of the road?
Road shoulders are almost always designated for emergency stopping only. Parking, stopping or standing a vehicle on roadsides, shoulders, or on- and off-ramps is not allowed (except in emergencies or when required by a police officer) in any of these states:
- Indiana
- Missouri
- Illinois
- Ohio
- Kentucky
- Iowa
- Tennessee
When truckers don’t feel safe, other problems arise.
The parking crisis is a uniquely challenging situation because most truckers want to do the right thing. But, faced with the choice between breaking HOS rules — which may mean driving while fatigued — or parking illegally, many choose the latter.
A survey revealed that 70% of drivers said they had violated HOS rules in search of parking, and 96% ended up parking in areas not meant for trucks. This data was collected in 2018. Since then, the issue has grown, meaning the statistics are likely higher now.
Though they choose to do so, 84% of these truckers say they feel unsafe when parked illegally.
If they try to find legal parking, commercial vehicle drivers waste about an hour a day searching. In a year, this costs them about $5,500 in lost compensation, said the American Trucking Associations.
Funding truck parking projects
The Department of Transportation has, in the past few years, allocated tens of millions of dollars to projects to build truck parking. Near Memphis, Tennessee, for example, a $22 million grant is being used to build 125 truck parking spaces along I-40.
Last year, lawmakers reintroduced the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act, a bill that would build more truck parking across the U.S. with $775 million over three years. It has not yet passed.
This issue isn’t new, and this isn’t the first time the government has acknowledged it.
In 2009, a truck driver who chose to park and rest at an abandoned gas station was robbed and murdered. His name was Jason Rivenburg, and “Jason’s Law” was passed three years later, in 2012. Jason’s Law authorizes funding toward building, improving and opening truck-parking areas.
Unfortunately, not much progress has been made in the 12 years since then.
The 2019 Jason’s Law survey revealed a 6% increase in truck parking spaces in the U.S. since 2015. However, it also showed that the issue was worsening: 98% of truck drivers said they regularly struggled to find safe parking, compared to the 75% in 2015.
Who is at fault in a commercial vehicle exit-ramp wreck?
Though drivers of heavy trucks may feel helpless, parking on the road or shoulder endangers other drivers. It is the wrong choice.
If you are the driver of a passenger vehicle and you strike a semi illegally parked on the roadside, you may be entitled to compensation. In these wrecks, truckers and/or their employers can be sued for negligence.
Contact truck-wreck attorneys at Craig, Kelley & Faultless by calling (800) 746-0226.
David W. Craig sits on the Board of Regents of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys (which requires the board certification in truck accident law). He is the managing partner and one of the founding partners of Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC. He is recognized as a Top 10 Trucking Trial Lawyer and Top 100 Trial Lawyer in Indiana by the National Trial Lawyers, as well as a Top 50 Indiana lawyer by Super Lawyers. David is the author of Semitruck Wreck, A Guide for Victims and Their Families, written to help people navigate a terrible situation by answering questions that come after a tragic wreck. He also hosts the podcast After the Crash, where you can gain valuable information about the dangers involving semis and large trucks that do not follow Indiana law safety protocol regarding speed, weather conditions, maintenance upkeep, etc.
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