Texas Truck Accident Lawyer Discusses Study Showing Link Between Lower Speeds And Fewer Truck Crashes
Dallas, 02/28/2017 /SubmitPressRelease123/
Drive on any highway, and you’re likely to encounter road hogs whizzing past you at hair-raising speeds. When it’s a semi-truck barreling down the highway, witnessing a large truck moving at a high rate of speed can be downright terrifying. Considering a semi-truck can weigh 80,000 pounds compared to the average 4,000 pounds of a typical vehicle, it’s quite normal to feel intimidated by a tractor-trailer on the highway — especially if it’s driving too fast.
It’s no wonder, then, that studies have been conducted to determine if reducing speed limits for large trucks could have an impact on the number of serious and fatal crashes on American highways.
Study Says Reduced Speeds Could Save Lives
According to a 2012 joint study conducted by the Virginia Tech University Transportation Institute and the American Transportation Research Institute, lower speed limits would mean fewer truck crashes on U.S. highways.
The comprehensive study examined data from 20 different trucking fleets,15,000 accidents, and 138,000 tractor-trailers.
The results of the study showed that lower speed limits result in fewer crashes, less serious injuries when crashes do occur, and an increase in overall traffic safety.
Now, the study is being used by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to support a proposed rule that would require Speed Limiters on tractor-trailers. If Speed Limiters become mandatory on trucks, tractor-trailers will no longer be capable of driving faster than 68 miles per hour.
Other Benefits of Speed Limiters
Texas injury accident lawyer Amy Witherite explains, “According to the FMCSA, Speed Limiters would also save an estimated $1.1 billion in fuel costs every year, as they would stop truck drivers from driving at speeds known to be inefficient in terms of fuel-savings.”
If the proposed rule is put into place, any commercial truck weighing more than 26,001 pounds would be required to be equipped with a Speed Limiter device. The FMCSA is considering a number of speed limits besides 68 miles per hour. Other contenders for the Speed Limiter maximum speed include 60 and 65 miles per hour.
The public comment period for the proposed rule closed in December 2016, and the FMCSA has not announced if the rule will go forward. According to safety experts, the future of the rule could also be impacted by the new presidential administration, which has indicated it will make an effort to decrease federal regulation.
If you have been injured in a semi-truck accident, it’s important to protect your rights. Don’t wait to speak to an attorney. Call a Texas truck accident lawyer as soon as possible to discuss your case.
Media Contact:
Lucy Tiseo
Eberstein & Witherite, LLP
Phone: 800-878-2597
Email: lucy.tiseo@ewlawyers.com
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