Speed limiters can reduce truck accidents and make the roads safer

Truck accidents are on a trending rise in New York City. Last July they reached a record number of 805. It was the first time ever that the number of monthly truck accidents in New York City was over 800.

In the US, 4067 people died in truck accidents in 2015 compared to 3903 in 2014 and 3380 in 2009. Over 6 years the number of fatal truck accidents increased by 20%. From 2009 to 2015, injuries related to truck accidents increased by 50% from 74,000 to 111,0000. Truck crashes were also on the rise during the same period. They increased from 286,000 to 411,000 between 2009 and 2014.

Truck drivers are working long hours and are often pressured to deliver their load on a tight schedule. They often drive above the legal speed limit exposing themselves and other road users to dangerous accidents. According to the NHTSB, speeding, distraction and impairment are the three main factors in truck accidents.

New technology in the form of speed limiters can prevent truck drivers from speeding and thus reduce truck accident injuries and fatalities. The province of Ontario in Canada adopted such technology and saw a 24% decrease in truck accident fatalities during the year after the technology was adopted. Last August the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) proposed a new rule to equip all large trucks and buses in the US with such safety equipment (see previous blog).

The New York Truck Accident Attorneys at our firm support this new rule. If you want to support this rule too, you still have a few days (until November 7th) to add your comment here. Last month New York Senator Schumer voiced his support for the new proposed rule. He cited the Long Island Expressway where numerous trucks and buses are often driving above the 55 mph speed limit and put other road drivers at risk of accidents. “For every Long Island driver who has been next to or in the cross-hairs of a speeding big rig, a technology like this can’t come fast enough,” said U.S. Senator Charles Schumer.