18-Wheeler Parking Shortages and Fatal Truck Accidents

18-wheelers keep America running, and yet, these trucks are running into an increasingly deadly issue—a critical shortage of safe places to park. That may sound like a minor problem on the surface, but it isn’t.

The big rig parking shortage has raised several complex risks that don’t just impact truckers and motor carriers but also create real dangers for anyone on the roads.

Here’s why, diving into:

• A Look at the Truck Parking Crisis
• 5 Safety Risks of Inadequate Truck Parking
• Big Rig Parking Shortages & Deadly Wrecks
• What Potential Solutions Could Address the Truck Parking Shortage?
• Guidance for Truckers & Motor Carriers

To explore more hot topics in the trucking industry, check out Can AI Prevent Drowsy Driving for Truckers? and Texas and the Deadliest Dozen in Truck Wrecks.

A Look at the Truck Parking Crisis

After long hours on the road, truckers can face immense difficulties finding safe, legal parking spots to rest. That’s because 18-wheelers can’t be parked anywhere. Generally, it’s only legal to park a big rig at:

• Designated truck stops and rest areas
• Certain commercial parking facilities
• Company terminals
• Some mixed-use areas
• Limited private property, with the owner’s or landlord’s permission.

These spaces can be few and far between for truckers, and the current shortage has been intensifying due to factors like (and not limited to):

• Increased freight demand: Recent surges in freight transportation have outpaced the development of truck parking facilities, causing many rest areas and truck stops to be overcrowded. Many can no longer depend on these areas for parking like they once could.
• Regulatory constraints: Strict hours-of-service (HOS) regulations mandate rest periods for truckers. Without guaranteed parking, truckers may have to stay behind the wheel longer than planned, creating all-new compliance challenges.
• Urban development pressures: The expansion of urban areas often overlooks the need for 18-wheeler parking, reducing available spaces near major highways. Plus, research has found that new rest stops are getting farther apart.

Compounding all this is the fact that even more 18-wheelers are expected to be on the roads in the coming years.

5 Safety Risks of Inadequate Truck Parking

With scarce options for safe parking, many truck drivers are backed into precarious corners that can elevate the risks of:

• Unauthorized parking: Truckers may resort to parking on highway shoulders or ramps, creating unexpected obstacles and impeding visibility for other motorists.
• Driver fatigue: The inability to find rest areas can lead 18-wheeler drivers to exceed HOS limits and lose out on rest time. When this occurs, trucker reaction times and decision-making abilities can be seriously impaired.
• Rear-end collisions: Parked in poorly lit or unexpected locations, 18-wheelers are more likely to be rear-ended by passing vehicles, especially at night or during low-visibility conditions.
• Congestion: When trucks cluster around access roads or in full parking lots, they can create traffic flow issues, resulting in backups and bottlenecks that can elevate crash risks, even at slower speeds.
• Accessibility issues: Parking areas overcrowded with big rigs can create all-new bottlenecks, hindering emergency access while escalating the potential for accidents.

These are not the only risks associated with 18-wheeler parking shortages, but they have been linked to hundreds of truck accidents each year.

Big Rig Parking Shortages & Deadly Wrecks

The risks of truck parking shortages aren’t just theoretical or “possibilities”—many of these dangers have given rise to very real and incredibly devastating consequences, including (and not limited to):

• More 18-wheeler accidents: About 1 in 10 truck accidents tied to driver fatigue also involves a big rig’s parking problems or illegal parking.
• Catastrophic and fatal injuries: When 18-wheelers are parked on highway ramps, shoulders, or exits, any resulting truck accidents are three times more likely to be fatal (when compared to big rig crashes in general). That’s because these wrecks tend to involve passenger vehicles traveling at higher speeds, with a high potential for underride accidents.
• Economic impact: Truck accidents due to parking shortages don’t just result in property damage, medical expenses, and lost income for the parties involved. The impacts can trickle out to motor carriers, the supply chain, and the trucking industry as a whole, with losses compounding as the issue proliferates.

What Potential Solutions Could Address the Truck Parking Shortage?

There’s no simple solution or flip of the switch that can resolve the current shortage of 18-wheeler parking. Instead, this persisting and growing problem will likely require a multifaceted approach that encompasses (and is not necessarily exclusive to):

• Infrastructure expansion: Investing in the development of additional parking facilities along major freight corridors could start to accommodate the current and growing demand for big rig parking.
• Technology integration: Leveraging intelligent transportation systems to provide real-time information on parking availability can assist truckers on the roads, helping them plan rest stops efficiently, safely, and more reliably.
• Policy reforms: Legislation that allocates funding for parking projects and incentivizes private sector participation may continue to expand essential parking infrastructure.

Putting viable solutions in play will likely require the coordination of several parties, from lawmakers and trucking industry leaders to truckers, the private sector, and beyond.

Guidance for Truckers & Motor Carriers

While it could take years or more to address the 18-wheeler parking shortage, there are steps that both truckers and motor carriers can take now to minimize the risks of parking-related crashes and stay safe.

For truckers:

• Plan ahead: Use available apps to identify potential parking spots along your route ahead of time. Don’t wait until the last minute when you run the risk of overstepping HOS limits.
• Communicate: Inform dispatchers about parking difficulties to collaboratively find solutions and adjust schedules if necessary.
• Advocate: Participate in industry forums and surveys to highlight parking issues, contributing to data that can fuel change.

For motor carriers:

• Supportive scheduling: Develop realistic schedules that account for parking challenges, reducing pressure on drivers to find immediate and potentially unsafe rest stops.
• Resource provision: Equip drivers with tools and subscriptions to parking information services to help them find available spaces when they’re on the roads.
• Engagement in advocacy: Collaborate with industry associations to lobby for improved parking facilities and policies.

When Parked Trucks Contribute to 18-Wheeler Accidents

As viable as the above solutions may be, they won’t do anything to help you or someone you love after a crash with a parked 18-wheeler. What can help is understanding who was at fault, what your legal options are, and how to move forward. One of the best ways to do that is to reach out to an experienced 18-wheeler accident attorney.