Winter Driving and Lack of Experience Cause Accidents

Photo: Vivill Vinsrygg.

Foreign drivers of heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) in Norway have three times the risk of being involved in a single vehicle accident than drivers of domestic HGVs.

A recent study uses several methods to examine safety outcomes, risk factors and measures associated with increasing internationalization in road transport of goods.

A literature review indicates that drivers of foreign HGVs generally have twice the risk of domestic drivers. Analysis of Norwegian accident data indicates that in comparison with Norwegian HGVs, foreign HGVs have three times the risk of being involved in a single vehicle accident, twice the risk for a head-on collision, and nearly twice the risk of a collision with a vehicle driving in the same direction.

The report concludes that two risk factors in particular seem to be important: (1) experience with/competence on Norwegian roads and (2) winter driving.

The report also highlights six measures that seem to be important for transport safety of foreign actors:

1. Increase heavy vehicle inspections,
2. Educate/inform about winter driving and Norwegian road conditions aimed at foreign drivers,
3. Clarify (and increase) the responsibilities of transport buyers,
4. Expand the authority of the NPRA,
5. Change the sanctioning opportunity from police reports to fines and
6. Increase cooperation between domestic authorities.

Full report in English:
Internationalisation in road transport of goods: safety outcomes, risk factors and measures
TØI report 1487/2016
Authors: Tor-Olav Nævestad, Ross Owen Phillips, Gunhild Meyer Levlin, Inger Beate Hovi

Contact: Ross Phillips, Chief Research Psychologist rph@toi.no TØI, Norway