Despite that tractor-trailer drivers are some of the most well-trained drivers on the road, tractor-trailer accidents are on the rise. They are also some of the deadliest accidents that can occur. While the fault of the accident may lie with other drivers, this does not change the fact that these accidents often involve fatalities and serious injuries. One organization is looking to send the number of tractor-trailer accidents downward by asking Congress to require speed limiters and automatic braking, as Talk Business reports.
An analysis conducted by the group Road Safe America showed that between 2009 and 2017, accidents involving tractor-trailers rose had an increase of 42% in fatalities.
The co-founder of Road Safe America, Steve Owings, said that this increase has occurred despite the number of miles driven by trucks has remained mostly consistent. He founded the organization 16 years ago when his son was killed in a crash involving a tractor-trailer.
The organization is asking Congress to require all big rigs to have speed limiters installed that keep the vehicle at a speed under 65 m.p.h. They also want the vehicles equipped with automatic braking.
Manufacturers have already been installing the speed limiters on big rig trucks because of the number of countries that require their use. This means that it would not cause most trucking companies or private owners much to engage the speed limiters.
The European Union has required speed limiters since 1992 and automatic braking since 2012. Between 2009 and 2016, the number of fatal crashes decreased by 20%, while it rose 29% over the same period here in the United States.
Many trucking companies already use speed limiters because they not only reduce the number of crashes, but they have also shown to reduce fuel and maintenance costs. The limiters also help reduce money spent on litigation when a crash does occur.
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