There are many reasons that crashes involving big commercial trucks occur. Sometimes, weather or issues with the road causes a crash. Occasionally, maintenance issues with the big rig itself or problems with how a company loaded the trailer will cause the crash. Other times, it is a decision made by the truck driver that causes the wreck.
Excess speed is a major contributing factor to some of the worst commercial trucking crashes that occur. Big trucks need more space to come to a complete stop and are more difficult to control at high speeds than smaller vehicles with just two axles.
Regulations impose strict speed limits on commercial vehicles to limit the chances of one causing a devastating collision. Despite the known crash risk that comes with driving too fast, some commercial drivers will still drive faster than they should to reach their destination on time. Federal lawmakers could soon impose restrictions that would limit the ability of commercial drivers to break the speed limit without consequences.
Lawmakers could mandate anti-speeding devices
The technology available for commercial vehicles is quite impressive. There are autonomous braking systems that can take over in an emergency situation, such as when a truck driver has a heart attack, and electronic logging devices that create a thorough and accurate record of how long someone drives.
There are also devices that can prevent a vehicle from exceeding a certain speed. Federal lawmakers have discussed implementing a rule that would mandate the installation of these anti-speeding devices in commercial trucks with a gross weight of 26,001 pounds or more. The vehicles would face restrictions that would limit a driver’s ability to travel faster than the set speed limit, which regulators could set at 70 miles per hour.
Although there is pushback from within the commercial transportation industry, some industry insiders support the implementation of this anti-speeding technology within reasonable limits because of the possible public safety benefits. If implemented, a rule requiring an anti-speeding device in heavy trucks could potentially save lives by preventing crashes.
Learning more about the causes of commercial truck crashes can help those hoping to avoid such collisions or who need to take action after experiencing one.
