Accidents with commercial trucks are especially dangerous and deadly because the trucks are so much larger and heavier than regular sized vehicles. There are some solutions that could prevent these accidents from happening, like trucking regulations, attentive drivers, and thorough inspections from trucking companies. However, these have proven to only reduce so many crashes.
No matter how much we try to prevent accidents with large trucks, they still happen. When you’ve been in a wreck with a commercial truck, you could be facing debilitating injuries and damages. That’s where a lawyer from McMath Woods P.A. comes in. We will help you through the legal process so we can recover the financial compensation you deserve.
Front-Crash Prevention in Large Trucks
In 2019, truck crash statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) showed that fatal truck accidents are still on the rise even though other fatal roadway accidents are decreasing. The increase of large truck collisions over the years, although slight, proved that finding more crash prevention systems was a necessity.
A study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) showed that front-crash prevention systems in commercial trucks could prevent at least two out of five rear-end collisions that occur. In this study, the researchers equipped 33,000-pound rigs with different technology to alert and prevent crashes.
One of the crash-prevention systems was forward collision warning. This alerts a driver that there could be an impending forward collision if they do not brake. In general, a forward collision warning reduced truck accidents by 22%. In rear-end collisions alone, which are the main focus of this study, the warning reduced crashes by 44%.
The other technology that was researched was automatic emergency braking (AEB). This functions by braking for the driver if it detects a possible forward collision. In general, an AEB system reduced truck accidents by 12%. In rear-end collisions, the system reduced crashes by 41%. The numbers with both front-crash prevention systems were enough to consider implementing them in all commercial trucks.
What Are the Benefits?
Reducing the number of any crashes is important, but almost more important when it comes to truck accidents. Large trucks can be up to 30 times bigger than regular-sized vehicles, which can cause the accidents between the two to cause especially severe injuries, or even death. When the accidents are fatal, the occupants of the passenger vehicles are more likely to be the ones killed rather than the truck driver. That’s why it’s important to find new ways to prevent these accidents from happening—to save lives.
Front-crash prevention systems that utilize cameras, radar, sensors, and automatic braking to alert and control drivers of semi trucks in the event of an obstacle in the road could help save the lives of more people. That reason should be benefit enough to equip more commercial trucks with the devices in the future.
While these devices aren’t currently required for large trucks in the United States, 99% of vehicle manufacturers are implementing these devices in their models moving forward. Both new commercial trucks and regular passenger vehicles alike will have this crash-preventing technology in them beginning in 2022. This could make the roads safer and decrease fatalities from car accidents. Truck accident fatality trends could start to follow suit.
McMath Woods P.A. Can Help You
Truck accidents can be devastating. When you’ve suffered injuries from a commercial truck accident that have left you with medical bills, time off work, missed wages, and life-long medical needs, then you should get the help of McMath Woods P.A. We can help you recover the financial compensation you deserve so you can focus on healing.
When we take your case, we’ll fully investigate what happened. This means that we can get a clear picture of the situation and determine who was at fault for the accident. By finding the truck driver, their trucking company, or a parts manufacturer was responsible, we can get you the compensation you are owed for all of the damages you suffered. Contact us today so we can get started on your claim.
