Every year, truck collisions in Massachusetts leave many people injured, some fatally. Rules and regulations imposed on commercial trucking companies and their drivers often intend to reduce the number of crashes. Unfortunately, speeding continues to be a serious problem in Massachusetts and the rest of the United States. Government action on speed limiters may help address the issue.
Speed limiters in trucks
As the name implies, a speed limiter is a feature added to a vehicle that caps the maximum speed level. A driver could set the top speed at 65 MPH, and the vehicle would not exceed that speed. When working for a trucking company, a driver’s employer might establish a policy of maximum speeds. If the government established regulations for the trucking industry, the driver and the trucking company would face requirements to follow the law.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) has proposed regulations that mandate speed limiters on trucks with a gross vehicle weight exceeding 26,000 pounds. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) commented on the proposed rule change. The IIHS not only wishes the FMCSA would speed up the rule’s implementation, but the entity also supports installing speed limiters on smaller, mid-duty vehicles.
Speeding trucks and their dangers
All speeding vehicles present dangers on the road. Speeding makes it harder to stop, and avoiding an accident could require hitting the brakes without warning. Since a speeding truck needs a significant distance to stop, driving over posted speed limits increases the potential for truck accidents.
A speed limiter might help improve safety, but a driver could still commit other moving violations. Unsafe lane changes and tailgating are two such ones that might cause a crash.
