Contributing Factors of Truck Crashes in Indonesia: Human Factor and Classification System (HFACS)

Crashes on the road need to be addressed in developed and developing countries. Traffic crashes ranked eighth among all causes of fatalities, even surpassing HIV/AIDS, tuberculosis, and diarrhoeal diseases globally. Truck crashes are the most severe road crashes as they result in injuries, damage to goods, and consequently economic losses. In 2021, material losses due to crashes reached USD 15.25 billion, with 12% dominated by freight transportation or trucks in Indonesia. Crash prevention in Indonesia focuses more on statistics and post-crash management, neglecting the contributing factors. Effective mitigation strategies, targeting these contributing factors, can significantly improve traffic safety. We identified the contributing factors of truck crashes in Indonesia using the Human Factors Analysis and Classification System (HFACS). The Contributory Factors Interaction Model (CFIM) was used to examine the relationship between factors by employing the odds-ratio statistical test for analysis. The relationship of crash characteristics was also investigated. 120 online news articles in Indonesia were collected as secondary data on crash investigations from January 2022 to May 2023. The results showed that 35% of unsafe behaviors were the most important contributor to crashes, followed by outside factors at 32%, preconditions for unsafe behaviors at 20%, and unsafe supervision and organizational influences at 7% each. Odds ratio analysis results revealed a relationship between latent and active failures. Latent failure factors influenced each other. As unsafe behaviors are a significant factor in truck crashes, they can be prevented. Even though secondary data was used, the results of this study serve as the basis for further research on truck crashes.