Determinants of motor carrier safety technology adoption

In this paper, we investigate the organizational determinants of safety technology adoption. To shed light on this important question, we develop and test nine hypotheses. Results are based on a national survey of motor carriers sponsored by the United States Department of Transportation. Using a Poisson regression model, we find statistical support for seven hypotheses. A key finding is that prior safety performance influences a firm’s adoption of safety technologies. Additionally, a firm’s optimism about the potential for safety technologies, its technological innovativeness, and its level of comfort with new technologies contribute to its safety technology adoption decisions.