Truck drivers in New York are protecting themselves and other road users thanks to automatic emergency braking and forward collision warning. These are two stand-out features in the suite of technology that goes by the name of advanced driver assistance systems, and their benefits are becoming clearer as more truck fleets incorporate them.
What two Arkansas-based fleets have to say
One company in Lowell, Arkansas, installed AEB and FCW in 98% of its tractor-trailers and saw rear-end collisions go down 50%. Moreover, any collisions that did occur were not as severe as they would have been without the tech. This meant less downtime for employees and the trucks themselves and a lower driver turnover.
A company in Little Rock began to add ADAS features in 2004 and finally added AEB to the mix. In August 2020, it reported that its fleet saw only six rear-end accidents in the previous 31 months with none in 2020 itself.
Pushing for more trucks with AEB
There is no mandate on ADAS for trucks. So far, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has mandated stability control, but that was in 2017. Many truck fleets are recommending that the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration approve the nationwide adoption of AEB and FCW on commercial trucks, and they will become standard on most passenger vehicles by 2022.
For those times when truckers were negligent
No amount of safety tech, though, can make truckers into safer drivers if they choose to be negligent. If your motor vehicle accident injuries are the result of a trucker’s negligence, then you may be able to file a claim against the truck fleet, or the insurance company if the trucker is an owner-operator, and seek out a settlement covering all your losses. A lawyer may guide you through this complicated process.