TIRF received funding from Natural Resources Canada’s Greening Freight Programs (NRCAN) to conduct a national study on the effect of fuel-efficient driving on crash risk and crash severity in Canada. The study was conducted in 2022 with support from the Canadian Trucking Alliance and the Private Motor Truck Council of Canada and in cooperation with fleets operating class 8 vehicles across Canada. In Phase 1 a literature review was conducted to help inform the study and in Phase 2 key variables, including route, vehicle, driver, and environmental data were analyzed to quantify safety benefits.

Four commercial companies participated in the study which included 2,604 drivers and 341,391,038 kilometres of driving exposure. Most companies in the study utilized in-vehicle technology to measure driver performance.

The literature reviewed in the study showed that eco-driving can lead to fuel cost savings of up to 15%. Additionally, the use of an in-vehicle monitoring system which provides real-time feedback to drivers can significantly reduce the risk of traffic collisions. Of benefit to both the trucking industry and consumers is how this practice can improve safety and reduce insurance costs by preventing collisions.

The full technical report, Effects of Eco-Driving on Commercial Motor Vehicle Driver Collision Risk and the briefing note, Quantifying the Benefits of Eco-Driving for Transportation Employers are available in English and French. The briefing note was produced to share the findings across the industry to help increase awareness of strategies to reduce crashes and crash severity through fuel-efficient driving practices.

Click here for full details of the study.