Montana Ranks Fifth For Truck Driver Safety Risks

Over-the-road truck drivers will rack up literally millions of miles on the highway during their careers. Some will drive for years without an accident, but like many things in life, most truckers will admit say it's not a matter of "if" but "when" an accident happens.

According to a recent report conducted by commercial fleet card company National Fuel Network, Montana is the 5th most dangerous state for truck drivers in the United States.

white and blue truck on road during daytime — Photo by Zetong Li on Unsplash

This stat probably isn't shocking for locals.

Anyone who has ever been stuck trying to drive over Homestake or Bozeman Pass during a winter storm has surely encountered semi-trucks either stuck on the side of the road, in the ditch, or spun out blocking the roadway.

man in black jacket and pants standing on snow covered ground — Photo by Pascal Bernardon on Unsplash

Wyoming is the #1 most dangerous state for truckers.

Not surprisingly, the Cowboy State is where truckers are most likely to have an accident. The I-80 corridor sees some of the most brutal winter weather in the lower 48, and that stretch from Cheyenne to Green River can be a nightmare on four wheels or eighteen.

The report noted, "More than half (56%) of Wyoming's winter truck crashes happened on snow, slush or ice, or in snow or sleet. Over the whole year, 35% of the state's heavy-truck crashes happened on icy roads, 14 times the US share."

Are out-of-state truckers unprepared for Montana?

My dad was a long-haul trucker for 40+ years. Now mostly retired, my dad is normally a quiet man. But bring up the topic of rookie truck drivers, and he'll start talking like an overnight radio host.

"They show up in Montana with flip-flops and shorts, and have no idea about chaining up or how quickly conditions can change."

a blue semi truck driving down a mountain road — Photo by Bailey Alexander on Unsplash

The Top 5 Most Dangerous States for Truck Drivers.

Wyoming
Louisiana
Georgia
Alabama
Montana

Interestingly, Utah was ranked the safest state for truckers, based on federal accident data.

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