ARLINGTON, Va. – A "first-of-its-kind" study by American Transportation Research Institute reveals some not-so-surprising conclusions about truck driver records and the risk of crashes.

Truck drivers, the study says, with poor driving records are more susceptible to being involved in a future truck crash than their peers with clean driving records.

Researchers drew from several driver-specific databases from 2008-2009 to statistically relate those data to future crash probability.

The findings, based on data from 587,772 U.S. truck drivers, single out about 10 behaviors that are up to 50 percent more likely to lead to accidents.

A driver’s “failure to use/improper signal" was the leading conviction associated with an increased likelihood of a future crash. When convicted, the driver’s likelihood of a future crash increased a whopping 96 percent.

In relation to driver violations, improper passing means, according to the study, 88-percent more likely than their peers to be involved in a crash.

(See the remainder of the driver behaviors most likely to be a precursor to a crash in the chart to the right).

While many of the behaviors from a previous 2005 report demonstrated similar patterns in the analysis update, a number of the most predictive behaviors were replaced by new behaviors.

Researchers suspect that roadside inspected drivers generally have much safer records in the 2011 study, as evidenced by the lower proportion of drivers being issued violations.

ATRI says it has developed a formula for identifying “top tier” enforcement states, which highlight those states that contribute proportionally more to the nation’s traffic enforcement activity totals than truck crash statistic totals.

Overall, the findings suggest that driver interventions and industry innovations can alter the magnitude of future exposure to crashes.

"By becoming aware of problem behaviors, carriers and enforcement agencies are able to address those issues prior to them leading to serious consequences," ATRI stated. "The converse is also true, however, as lower priority behaviors, if ignored, may begin to play an increasing role in crash involvement."