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As truck crash numbers rise, companies look to truck safety tech

On Behalf of | May 15, 2019 | Truck Accidents

Truckers in West Virginia should know that the number of crashes between trucks and passenger vehicles is rising. About 72% of fatalities in these crashes are the occupants of passenger vehicles, according to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration. Some trucking companies are thus turning to vehicle safety technology to respond to this deadly trend.

The fact is that many truckers become negligent behind the wheel. Federal law mandates a digital work log, and truckers, most of whom are paid by the mile and not by the hour, might speed to make up for lost miles. The Florida DoT is one organization that has determined that speeding is a leading factor in the truck crash increase.

Speed limiters can help curb this negligent behavior. Though there is no federal rule mandating their use, as NHTSA once proposed such a rule that fell through in 2017, speed limiters can be found on all heavy-duty trucks built from 1992 onward. One company in the Midwest, Maverick Transportation, has set the speed limiter to 65 mph on its fleet of over 1,800 trucks.

Maverick has also installed safety tech ranging from lane departure and collision warning systems to in-cab cameras and roll stability control. As a result, the company only had to report one accident to the DoT in 2018.

Truck fleet owners will want to consider how much they are doing to protect employees and others on the road. Trucking company negligence may form the basis for an accident claim. People who are injured at the hands of a speeding truck driver may want to see a lawyer about their eligibility. In this state, plaintiffs must be less than 50% at fault for a crash to recover damages. The lawyer may assist with settlement negotiations.

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