It’s no surprise that speeding is a factor in many serious and fatal tractor trailer accidents. As many states throughout the country are increasing the speed limits on their roads, the American Trucking Associations wants large trucks to put on the breaks.
The American Trucking Associations (ATA) is again asking the Department of Transportation to do this by imposing a rule that requires all large tracks to be equipped with electronic speed limiters that prevent drivers from going faster than 65 mph.
This is reportedly the second time the ATA has asked federal officials to impose a speed limiter rule, and the government said it would move forward with it in 2011 but the efforts stalled.
The ATA has also said it supports a national speed limit of 65 mph for all vehicles. Currently, states set their own speed limits and there are five states that have raised their maximum speed limits to 80 mph.
The ATA favors lower speed limits because it has found that speed is a cause or factor in about 18 percent of fatal accidents caused by truckers and close to 30 percent of all fatal accidents.
Currently, about 70 percent of all large trucks already use the speed limiters, the ATA reported.
While the ATA represents the largest trucking companies in the country, the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association represents owner-operators and small fleet owners, and it is against the speed limiters.
Ultimately, it will be up to federal officials to determine whether speed limiters should be mandated on all large trucks. From a personal injury firm’s standpoint, it seems to be a live-saving and cost-effective law to implement.
If all truck fleets are limited at the same speeds, there could be less pressure on drivers to speed in order to be more efficient in their deliveries. Fewer speeding trucks means fewer lives destroyed by fatal trucking accidents.
