Georgia Injury Law Blog
Automatic emergency braking is slated to prevent hundreds of truck accidents involving commercial trucks every year after the federal administration proposed installation of these devices on all heavy trucks.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has announced a notice of proposed rule-making that would require all commercial vehicles to have automatic emergency braking systems on board. The goal of this rule would be to significantly reduce the incidence of rear -ender truck accidents involving commercial trucks and tractor trailers.
Automatic emergency braking systems are also available on passenger vehicles, and work by using sensors to detect if the vehicle is in danger of a collision with an object. The system uses sensors to detect an auto accident threat, and moves to apply the brakes if the driver has not already done so or to increase the emergency braking power if the driver has already applied the brakes. The system thereby works to help prevent a collision with another object or vehicle.
Rear end car accidents can be dangerous accidents and can be devastating enough when they involve passenger vehicles, but when you are talking about 18 wheelers that pack thousands of pounds of force, the results can be catastrophic for the occupants of the smaller car. Victims of these catastrophic truck accidents involving heavy vehicles are often left with back injuries or spinal injuries that can have fatal or life -altering consequences. Even when a victim survives these personal injuries, the quality of his life is markedly reduced. The consequences of a spinal injury, for instance, can include paralysis that make it difficult for a person to enjoy any kind of mobility or movement and restricting his ability to go to work, enjoy sports or otherwise live a normal life.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration believe that thousands of lives will be saved every year and even more personal injuries prevented as a result of this new rule. The federal administration estimates that as many as 60,000 rear end truck accidents every year involve heavy vehicles like trucks and buses. The federal administration also believes that as a result of the rule, more than 19,000 such truck accidents can be prevented in the future, saving more than 155 lives in these accidents and preventing more than 8,800 personal injuries every year. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration had earlier proposed a similar rule that will require these systems on all passenger vehicles and light pickup trucks.
The Atlanta truck accident attorneys at Katz Personal Injury Lawyers are dedicated to the representation of persons who have suffered injuries in commercial truck accidents in the metro Atlanta region and across the state of Georgia. If you or a loved one have suffered injuries in a trucking accident, there may be a number of parties including the trucking company, and repair and maintenance companies that may be held liable in a claim for damages. Talk to an attorney at our firm, and discuss your legal options for a claim for damages. Initial consultations are free.