Why Do Oilfield Truck Accidents Happen?
The oilfield poses numerous risks on a daily basis. Drilling for oil requires physical strength and coordination, some knowledge of basic mechanical engineering, and higher-than-normal risk tolerance. Heat (both from oil drilling and the Sun) and isolation mean that medical emergencies are likely to happen at any time without quick access to a hospital.
But the drilling floor isn’t the only place workers risk life and limb. Long before a roughneck spins drill pipe, truck drivers deliver casing, drilling mud, frac sand, and fuel—often in the dark, on narrow lease roads, or across crowded Houston freeways. At a drill site, truckers must navigate large tankers and 18-wheelers through unstable terrain, equipment, and piping. Spotters are responsible for helping drivers avoid obstacles and workers alike.
For some, even the commute to and from the oilfield can prove hazardous.
Types of Oilfield Truck Accidents
Oilfield operations rely on a constant flow of heavy-duty vehicles—from water haulers and sand trucks to vacuum tankers and flatbeds. Each of these vehicles presents unique hazards that can result in catastrophic wrecks. At well sites and on surrounding highways, oilfield truck accidents are all too common—and all too preventable.
Some of the most common types of oilfield truck accidents include:
- Tanker Rollovers: Tank trucks hauling fluids such as drilling mud, crude oil, or wastewater may be prone to rollover accidents due to high centers of gravity and shifting liquid loads.
- Rear-End Collisions: On lease roads or congested Texas highways, long stopping distances and brake failures may lead to rear-end collisions with smaller vehicles.
- Jackknife Accidents: 18-wheelers transporting frac sand or pipe can jackknife if the driver brakes suddenly or loses control on a curve.
- Crush Incidents at Well Sites: Spotter error, poor visibility, and unstable terrain can lead to trucks running over workers, colliding with equipment, or tipping while unloading.
- Head-On Collisions on Rural Roads: Many oilfield roads are narrow two-lane routes without shoulders or dividers, increasing the likelihood of fatal head-on crashes.
- Spill-Related Hazards: Spilled cargo like drill cuttings or hydrocarbons can create secondary crash risks by making roadways slick or toxic.
Whether the crash happens at the gate to a drilling site or on a rural stretch of SH 72, the consequences are often the same: serious injury or death. Our Houston oilfield truck accident attorneys dig into the details of each crash to uncover every contributing factor as we seek to hold all liable parties accountable.
Where Oilfield Truck Crashes Happen—And Why
Texas is home to three of the largest oil plays in the U.S.: the Permian Basin, Eagle Ford Shale, and Haynesville Shale. Houston sits at the center, serving as a major hub for oilfield service companies, freight yards, and equipment manufacturers. That means thousands of trucks enter and exit Houston daily, hauling pipe, sand, and chemicals to and from active drilling sites across the state.
Common oilfield trucking corridors include:
- Interstate 10 (I-10): A major east-west artery connecting Houston to West Texas.
- U.S. Highway 59/I-69: Frequently used for transport to South Texas oilfields like Eagle Ford.
- State Highway 72 (“Oil Patch Highway"): Notorious for serious oilfield crashes near Karnes City and Three Rivers.
- Lease Roads: These unpaved, privately owned roads connect highways to well sites.
The combination of oversized vehicles, long hours, fatigue, and high production pressure creates a perfect storm. Many of these accidents could be prevented with better scheduling, more training, safer equipment, and stronger oversight.
The Risks of Driving While Tired in the Oilfields
One sleep study compared the effects of fatigue and drinking pertaining to driver performance, and researchers found that driving after staying awake for 18 hours was comparable to driving with a .05% BAC. Staying away for 24 hours led to a driving performance equal to .10% BAC—well over the legal limit. Given how often oilfield workers are driving home after all-day shifts, it's clear why truck accidents occur far more often in the oilfield industry than elsewhere.
Further Consequences of Fatigue on Oilfield Workers
Fatigue not only influences the incidence of accidents, but it also decreases productivity and performance in the oilfields. Research suggests that fatigue contributes to an increase in missed safety cues, slower reaction times, and an overall decrease in work quality. This, in turn, could lead to costly mistakes, further exacerbating the problem and contributing to an increased risk of accidents. Fatigue may also lead to chronic health conditions in oilfield workers, such as cardiovascular diseases, metabolic disorders, and mental health issues. These conditions further compound the challenges faced by workers, potentially leading to a higher risk of accidents and a diminished quality of life.
Introducing Regular Safety Audits & Hazard Identification
Regular safety audits can help mitigate oilfield risks. These audits not only look into the adherence to safety regulations but also analyze the prevalent work culture, daily work practices, and the physical and mental well-being of workers. They can identify potential sources of risks, such as faulty equipment, risky behaviors, and signs of chronic fatigue.
Hazard identification strategies can identify new or overlooked risks and devise plans to control them. This includes factors like extreme weather conditions, volatile materials, or evolving work processes that may introduce new hazards.
Implementing these measures requires a comprehensive understanding of oilfield operations and the unique challenges they pose. Oil companies must take the necessary steps to implement audits and hazard identification.
The Impact of Better Driver Training in the Oilfield Industry
The cumulative effects of fatigue and the rigors of oilfield trucking have a profound impact on long-term safety. There's not much data on the negative impact of oilfield trucking, but there is data to support the impact of investing in training and prevention. In a paper presented at the E&P Environmental and Safety Conference in 2007, researchers showed the results of a training program specifically geared toward operators in the oilfield industry.
The training included:
- Fatigue management to prevent the effects of drowsy driving
- Driver training for tight oil well spaces and dirt roads
- Driving simulators for common oilfield hazard scenarios
These training choices indicate the chief concerns for oilfield workers: navigation, fatigue, and lack of specialized experience.
The results were dramatic. As expected, the drivers who underwent the new training program experienced fewer accidents than their colleagues who didn't. However, even the accidents those drivers did experience were less severe than other drivers' accidents, showing that training can affect the outcome of certain collisions. In the end, the drivers with more training made up 40% of the total drivers under observation, but only 4% of the total accident costs.
Who Is Responsible When an Oilfield Worker Dies on the Road?
So, there's a clear problem in the oilfield industry: workers face life-threatening hazards from the moment they leave their driveways to the moment they return at night. The worst of those hazards—drowsy driving—is entirely preventable. The question is, what can be done to make life safer in the oilfields? And who can be held responsible for making it happen?
Ultimately, the oil companies that are scheduling shifts are the ones responsible for ensuring their workers have enough energy to commute and work safely.
Navigating the Path to Safer Oilfields
In the end, the frequency of oilfield truck accidents is not just a statistic—it's a call to action. And while the oilfield industry has inherent risks, with coordinated efforts and responsible practices, we can ensure that these risks are minimized and that every worker returns home safely at the end of their shift.
Get help from our oilfield truck accident attorneys in Houston now by calling (888) 493-1629 or contacting us online.
