The problem of commercial truck drivers being able to find parking for their semi-trucks, big rigs, tractor-trailers, or 18-wheelers is a huge issue in Indiana, Illinois, and the rest of the country. Truck parking is a critical concern both for truckers as well as motor carriers. For details, see the 2020 American Transportation Research Institute (ATRI) survey in Motor Carriers: Continued Focus on Profit Instead of Health and Safety of Truck Drivers Shown in New ATRI Report.
Commercial trucks need parking spaces that are large enough to contain these large and long transport vehicles as well as to protect them, and their drivers, from an assortment of dangers and risks. Today, commercial truck drivers deal with a daily reality where they may not be able to find a designated, suitable parking space for their rig.
The lack of truck parking in this country is not just an inconvenience; it is a serious and deadly danger to the truck driver and others on the roads with them.
Too Few Truck Parking Spots for Nation’s Truck Drivers
According to the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) in a published report entitled “Jason’s Law Truck Parking Survey Results and Comparative Analysis,” there are only approximately 300,000 parking spots across the continental United States available to serve commercial truck drivers needing to park their rigs.
Parking spaces for truck drivers are supplied by both public transportation agencies and private truck stop operators. Publicly provided spaces are typically at rest areas and welcome centers, and in some cases at weigh stations or truck inspection locations. A total of more than 300,000 truck parking spaces are documented in this report, including nearly 36,000 at public rest areas and more than 272,000 at private truck stops.
By the numbers, 90% of commercial truck drivers are left without a place to park if they are left to a designated commercial vehicle parking space. There is no option for these truckers but to find a place to park their rig that is off the grid, or some type of unauthorized parking space.
The Problem of Finding Semi-Truck Parking
The lack of parking spaces for large vehicles has been a serious problem for several years, with truck drivers doing the best they can to find a place to park their rigs when there is a blatant lack of proper parking spaces available to them.
According to the FHWA Report, truck drivers reported the following:
- More than 75% of truck drivers regularly experience problems with finding safe parking locations when rest is needed;
- 90% of truckers struggle to find safe and available parking at night; and
- Most semi-truck parking shortages are encountered on weekdays, but many truckers also have problems find parking for their rigs on weekends.
Other parking issues can develop when the trucker faces road construction hazards or bad weather. There are times when commercial truck drivers will be forced to park their big rig, semi-truck, tractor-trailer, or 18-wheeler on the side of the road or the shoulder of an interstate. Weather conditions, such as limited visibility during fog or snow may necessitate truck parking on the roadside. Icy surfaces may prevent the big trucks from moving forward, forcing the trucker to park on the shoulder until conditions allow for tire traction and the ability to continue their run.
Truck Parking Dangers to Truck Drivers and Others on the Road
When a truck driver cannot find a proper parking space for his commercial truck, then the trucker must do the best he or she can in the situation to find a place to park the rig. Perhaps the reason is weather conditions, like a blizzard during the winter on an Indiana Interstate. It may be due to the trucker running out of drive time, or becoming sleepy behind the wheel.
All too often that truck driver will park the rig on the side of a highway or interstate ramp. Even if that trucker places triangles or flashers near the truck, this may not be enough to prevent a serious or fatal truck crash particularly if it is a high-speed location.
The risk is high that the driver of another motor vehicle, be it a four wheeler like a sedan, SUV, pickup or minivan, or another commercial truck, will fail to observe the parked rig and collide into the parked semi-truck with deadly consequences.
A particular horrific type of crash, an underride accident, can happen in these cases if a four-wheeler is involved. For more, read Fatal Truck Crashes: Will Congress Pass the Stop Underrides Act? and Pickup Truck Rear-Ends Big Rig, Killing Indiana Man: Proving Study of Easy Fix Should Be Implimented.
2020: Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act Introduced by Illinois Congressman Mike Bost
In the next five years, there is hope Congress will provide the needed funds to create the greatly needed increase in commercial truck parking in the United States. In March 2020, the Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act was introduced by Representatives Mike Bost (R-Illinois) and Angie Craig (D-Minnesota) in recognition of both (1) the danger to highway safety caused by the current “critical shortage in available parking for semis and large commercial trucks” and (2) the resulting interference “with operators’ ability to take necessary rest periods to avoid driver fatigue.”
If passed into law by Congress, the Act will provide $755 Million in state funding to increase the number of parking spaces for commercial truck drivers over the next five years (through 2025).
From Illinois Congressman Mike Bost:
“Growing up in a family trucking business, I learned at early age what a rewarding career it could be. However, I also understood that trucking can be a tough, demanding, and even dangerous job. One concern for truck drivers is the lack of enough safe parking spots where they can get the rest they need without risking collisions on the shoulder of the highway or being forced to push their limits to find the next rest stop. This puts the truckers and other motorists at significant risk. That’s why I’m proud to lead this effort to create sufficient rest parking options for long-haul truckers.”
Truck Parking Fatal Crash Injury Claims in Indiana and Illinois
For those who are involved in a semi-truck crash involving a parked commercial truck, there are personal injury and wrongful death laws on the books of both Indiana and Illinois that provide avenues for justice to the accident victims and their families.
It is important to investigate truck parking crashes in detail because legal liability may apply to those who have failed in their duty of care to help the truck driver find safe truck parking as part of his route planning. This may include the shipper, the receiver, and other responsible parties.
Another duty of care that may be breached and contribute to the fatal truck parking crash is any owner or operator who failed to provide the driver with working triangles or flashers for use in the event that the rig had to be parked in a hazardous area.
For more on semi-truck crash injuries, see:
- Coronavirus and Semi-Truck Crashes in Indiana and Illinois: Deadly Truck Crashes During COVID-19 Quarantines
- Brake Failure: Fatal Truck Crashes Caused by Dangerous Brakes in Semis, Big Rigs, and Other Large Commercial Trucks
- Marijuana Semi-Truck Crashes: Pot, Cannabis Products, and Commercial Truck Drivers
- Speeding and Serious or Fatal Semi-Truck Crashes in Illinois or Indiana
- Trial Tactics for Plaintiff Semi-Truck Accident Claims: a Practical Guide from Investigation to Trial.
Sadly, our part of the country faces an increased risk of serious and fatal semi-truck crashes due to the high volume of commercial truck traffic moving through Illinois and Indiana as the “Crossroads of America.” The risk of a fatal truck parking crash is high. Please be careful out there!
