The United States Government is taking Australia’s lead and launching an investigation into links between pay rates and safety in the trucking industry.

The US Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) wants to know the differences between certain methods of payments, and how they may relate to unsafe driving behaviours.

The study will consist of an online questionnaire covering more than 2,000 randomly selected trucking companies, safety managers, owner-drivers, operations managers and company owners.

Australia’s version, the National Transport Commission (NTC), did a similar investigation in 2008.

It found a link between late payments and safety behaviours, which led to the establishment of the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal (RSRT) in 2012.

“The study will evaluate the relationship between property carrying motor carriers compensation methods and incidents of unsafe driving,” FMCSA said in a statement.

“In particular, the research team will determine if there is a potential relationship between method of driver compensation and safe driving behaviour.”

“This study will assist motor carriers and other stakeholders engaged in commercial vehicle safety by enabling them to make informed decisions regarding driver compensation as it relates to safe driving performance.”