According to a study by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Office of Analysis, Research and Technology, trucks equipped with speed limiters have a lower rate of accidents. According to the organization, commercial trucks equipped with the devices have a 50% lower crash rate when compared with commercial trucks not equipped with speed limiters.
Speed limiters are devices which electronically keep tabs on a truck’s speed and keep trucks form exceeding specific speeds. Also known as intelligent speed adaptation devices, speed limiters have been touted by some experts as an effective way of preventing accidents. Experts in Florida, for example, can use the devices to ensure that Miami traffic accidents are not caused by excessive speeds. This is significant because when high speed is a factor in a Miami car accident involving a large truck, the force of the accident is very likely to cause fatalities and serious injuries. Preventing trucks from speeding is also important in preventing Miami truck accidents in the first place. In many cases, truck accidents occur when drivers speed and lose control of their vehicle or travel too quickly to react in a timely manner to hazards and obstacles.
According to the FMSCA report, the crashes that would be potentially affected by speed limiters depend on the type of crash, the weather, accident location, and the collision narrative. In commercial truck accidents where speed limiters are relevant, the study found that trucks without intelligent speed adaptation devices had a crash rate of five accidents per 100 trucks each year. Those with the devices, in comparison, had only 1.4 accidents per 100 trucks annually. The report shows that for all truck collisions – not just for those where speed limiters are relevant – commercial trucks without intelligent speed adaptation devices had 16.4 collisions per 100 trucks each year while trucks equipped with the devices had a crash rate of 11 accidents per 100 trucks annually.
Partly as a result of the report, some experts would like to see legislation passed at the federal level to require that all commercial trucks be equipped with the devices. Currently, between 60 and 80 percent of trucks in the industry have the devices installed already. According to experts, ensuring that all trucks have the devices is significant because in 2011 the FMSCA released research showing that speeding was a key factor in commercial vehicle collisions. As a result, many feel that having the devices in all commercial trucks could impact the national rate of truck accidents.
While it is hoped that the devices would reduce the number of Miami truck accidents, however, the devices alone cannot prevent all accidents. Since the devices would only potentially be installed on commercial trucks, they would not prevent passenger vehicle from speeding and causing Miami traffic accidents. As well, the devices would not address other issues causing truck accidents. They would not address driver fatigue and distracted driving, for example, as well as other common causes of Miami truck accidents.
If you have been injured in a Miami truck accident, contact the compassionate and professional legal team at the Flaxman Law Group. As a full service law firm, the Flaxman Law Group is equipped to take care of all the details at every step of your case, so that you can focus on healing. Contact the Flaxman Law Group today to schedule a consultation – your first consultation is free and comes with no obligation.