Survey finds out how confident truckers are in their driving skills

A recent survey by an online parts supplier provides insights into the differences between truck drivers and other motorists.

Findit Parts surveyed over 1,000 adults on their driving confidence, education, skills, strengths, and weaknesses, and explored how those traits correlated to professional truck driving. 

Key takeaways from the survey include over 91% of truckers are confident in their driving skills. It also found truckers are twice as likely to be motivated by criticism of their driving skills as non-truck drivers.

In addition, the survey found over 58% of full-time truck drivers would take a less common approach to a tire blowout scenario, and truckers are three times more likely to acknowledge their driving errors.

According to data collected in the survey, professional truck drivers are significantly more confident in their driving skills than the average driver. Specifically, 63.3% of those who have ever operated a large truck reported feeling “very confident” in their driving skills. in contrast, just 54% of non-truck drivers are very confident in their skills behind the wheel. 

Among full-time professionals in the trucking industry, this confidence level climbs even higher, with over 91% expressing some degree of confidence in their driving skills.

Another striking difference between the average driver and professional truck drivers emerges when examining how truckers respond to critiques of their driving abilities. Survey data indicates that professional truck drivers are significantly more likely to embrace feedback and view it as an opportunity for improvement. This contrasts sharply with the average driver’s tendency to deflect blame.

While 32.14% of truck drivers would take a driving course if their skills were questioned, only 18.74% of non-truck drivers said the same. This means truck drivers are nearly twice as likely to be motivated by feedback to improve their driving. 

Despite the high confidence levels among truck drivers, the survey data also revealed some surprising gaps in critical driving knowledge. When faced with specific safety scenarios—like how to respond to a tire blowout or what to do at a yield sign—non-truck drivers often outperformed their professional counterparts. 

For example, in the case of a tire blowout, only 42.14% of full-time truck drivers correctly identified the safest course of action: maintain control, gradually slow down, and move to the shoulder. In contrast, 77.33% of those who have never driven a truck selected the correct response. 

Truck driver responses were spread evenly, according to survey results. Nearly 20% of respondents each would immediately hit the brakes, quickly steer towards the shoulder, or put on hazard lights and continue driving slowly.

Similarly, when asked about the meaning of a yield sign, only 39.29% of full-time truck drivers provided the correct answer, while 79.22% of those who had never driven a truck answered correctly.

The survey found a striking contrast in accountability when comparing truck drivers to the general driving population. A significantly higher percentage of truck drivers (57.14%) than non-truck drivers (22.18%) admitted that their driving directly contributed to an accident.

Truck drivers, as a whole, appear to be more honest about their involvement in accidents. In contrast, the general driving population is more likely to downplay their role in accidents, potentially reflecting a lack of personal accountability.