Georgia Injury Law Blog
An accident with a tractor trailer truck is one of the worst types of motor vehicle accidents, and they usually result in serious if not fatal injuries. If there’s one thing that safety advocates as well as the trucking industry agree on, it is the need for speed limiters on commercial trucks. The federal administration recently announced its intention to move forward with rule making on this critical safety issue.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recently issued its Notice of Intent that shows its intent to move forward with rulemaking on the issue of requiring speed limiters on commercial trucks and tractor trailers. According to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, it has been able to identify that speed is a critical safety issue when it comes to large commercial trucks and 18 -wheelers. The agency identifies speed management as a critically important precautionary measure that can help reduce the risk of serious injuries and fatalities involving truck accidents.
The administration has focused on the problem of high speeds involving commercial truck for a while now. The new notice of intent follows up on a proposal that was determined in 2016 by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The 2016 proposal called for the installation of speed limiters on trucks weighing more than 26,000 pounds. However, the proposal did not determine a maximum speed limit. That will now happen with the federal administration’s new move in this regard. Over a period of time and with inputs from not just American trucking groups, but also the public, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will be able to determine a speed limit for commercial trucks.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration says that it recognizes the need for rules that limit speeds on commercial trucks. According to federal data, in 2019 alone, there were as many as 990 truck accidents that were linked to speeds above 70 mph.
High speeds can mean high impact crashes that are often fatal. This is even more so in the case of large commercial trucks and semi rigs that can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. When a truck is involved in an accident with a passenger vehicle at high speeds, the impact on the occupants of the smaller vehicle can be devastating. Serious injuries, and even deaths can result. Having speed limiters on trucks will ensure that trucks cannot travel beyond a certain speed which will reduce the likelihood of such accidents in the future.
The Atlanta trucking accident lawyers at the Katz Personal Injury Lawyers are dedicated to the representation of persons who have suffered injuries as a result of trucking accidents in the metro Atlanta region and across Georgia. If you or a loved one have suffered injuries involving a commercial truck, tractor trailer, semi rig or 18 -wheeler, talk to a lawyer at our firm and determine whether you have legal options to a claim for damages. Your truck accident claim must include medical costs, which are often extensive after a truck accident, lost income as a result of days off work as well as diminished earning capacity. Talk to an attorney at our firm and discuss your case.