truck accident prevention

Published on: February 8, 2024

Studies Call for Improved Auto Accident Protection Systems for Trucks and Motorcycles

Auto accident prevention technologies like forward collision warning systems do a very good job of reducing the risk of auto accidents involving passenger vehicles, but may not be as effective in preventing motorcycle accidents and trucking accidents.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety recently released the findings of two new studies which found that forward collision warning systems and automatic emergency braking systems are very beneficial in reducing the risk of car accidents involving passenger vehicles, but not as effective in preventing accidents involving motorcycles and trucks. The studies focused on more than 160,000 auto accidents involving passenger vehicles, large trucks and motorcycles.

According to the studies, these systems can help reduce the risk of rear-ender auto accidents involving passenger vehicles by as much as 53%. However, they were found to reduce the risk of accidents involving large commercial trucks by only 38% and motorcycle accidents by 41%. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, as many as 5,500 lives could be saved every year if auto accident prevention systems were enhanced to make them more effective in identifying and reducing the risk of colliding with large tractor trailers. An additional 500 lives could be saved in motorcycle accidents if these technologies could be improved to help identify motorcycles that are notoriously harder to identify for motorists.

Published on: October 25, 2023

Federal Grants Aimed at Preventing Trucking Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The federal government under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law is funding transportation projects across the country, and recently announced funding for new initiatives that would help speed up commercial driver’s licensing processes and, if these drivers are effectively trained, help prevent truck accidents.

The Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration recently announced in a press release that it would release $48 million in funding grants to states and other entities. This money would be used to increase opportunities for people who wish to train as truck drivers and obtain commercial driver’s licenses, as well as other efforts aimed at increasing the number of experienced and trained truck drivers on our highways. Approximately $44 million, for instance, would be used for expanding commercial drivers license programs through the Commercial Drivers License Program Implementation Grant. States would receive funding to speed up the process of issuance of commercial drivers licenses.

The funds would also be used to make it easier for states to communicate with each other about violations and other data electronically.

Published on: July 19, 2023

FMCSA Proposes Automatic Emergency Braking to Prevent Truck Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

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.

Published on: December 6, 2022

Auto Braking Cuts Pickup Truck Accident Rates, But Few Trucks are Equipped

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Auto braking systems that use sensors, cameras and other devices to determine whether the vehicle is too close to the vehicle in front can significantly reduce the risks of auto accidents involving pickup trucks. However, according to a new study, far too many pickup trucks are lacking this important safety feature.

Many automobiles now come with automatic braking systems that significantly reduce the risk of certain types of auto accidents, specifically rear-ender accidents. Pickup truck manufacturers have been slow to add these very important safety features to their vehicles. A new study conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety lays down exactly how important automatic braking systems are for pickup trucks.

The study used data from 25 states between 2007 and 2012, and the researchers found in their analysis that the rate of rear-end car accidents involving pickup trucks was 43% lower in cases in which the truck was equipped with an automatic braking system. In cases of auto accidents involving an injury, the rate was 42% lower in the case of pickup trucks equipped with automatic braking systems. Overall, there was a 73% reduction in the number of injurious and fatal car accidents involving pickup trucks, when these vehicles were equipped with auto braking systems.

Published on: August 25, 2020

More Female Truck Drivers Could Mean Fewer Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Truck drivers are more likely to be male than female. However, female truck drivers are much less likely to be involved in accidents, compared to male drivers. That information comes from a new study conducted in the United Kingdom, which found that eliminating gender inequalities in the trucking profession could go a long way in helping keep our roads safer.

The researchers analysed accident data for 6 different types of vehicles, and found that in at least 5 of those types of vehicles, the risk posed by male drivers was greater than those presented by females.

In the case of cars and vans, the risk posed by male drivers was double the risk posed by female drivers, and in the case of commercial tractor trailers, the risk posed by male drivers was as much as 4 times higher than the risk posed by female drivers. The risks are staggeringly higher when it is a female behind the wheel of a truck. The risks are also dramatically higher when a male rides a motorcycle, with the risk shooting up by ten times compared to a female.

Published on: April 5, 2020

Bill to Expand Safe Commercial Parking for Trucks

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A group of lawmakers has introduced a bill that addresses a pressing need of commercial truckers. The bill, which includes funding for expansion of parking areas, has been welcomed by the trucking industry in Georgia and drivers, especially during the recent times.

Access to safe parking areas is a serious safety issue in the trucking industry. According to federal trucking safety regulations, truck drivers are required to stop driving after a certain number of hours and rest. During these periods of rest, they must park their trucks in safe spaces and get the required minimum rest time before they can begin driving again.

Unfortunately, lack of access to safe parking has been a serious safety issue in the trucking sector. When a driver cannot find a safe and convenient place for him to park his truck, he is more likely to continue driving even beyond the maximum number of hours set by the federal administration. This can have serious consequences because a truck driver who is tired and fatigued, is much more likely to fall asleep at the wheel of the truck. Accidents involving drowsy or tired truckers are not uncommon. In fact, trucker fatigue is a major factor in truck accidents in Georgia and around the country.

Published on: March 26, 2019

Tips for Driving Safely around Large Commercial Trucks

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

There is never a shortage of tractor trailers or commercial trucks on Georgia roads. This seems especially true during rush hour in metro Atlanta. Trying to maneuver around a large commercial truck or 18-wheeler can be challenging, to say the least. One of the main reasons why driving around a large truck is tricky is due to the fact that the truck driver may not always see your car, which makes the chances of a being in an accident that much greater. More often than not, when a passenger vehicle is hit in an accident by a large commercial truck, the resulting injuries can be very severe.

Here are some tips on what you should always keep in mind when driving around a large commercial truck or tractor trailer.

Do not come to a sudden stop in front of the truck. These trucks have a much larger stopping distance. This means that it takes them much longer to come to a complete stop after the driver applies the brakes. If you are driving in front of a tractor trailer, braking suddenly can mean that the truck may crash right into your car with devastating consequences.

Published on: April 28, 2014

Efforts Underway to Reduce Truck Blind Spots and Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

One of the biggest concerns for motorcyclists while traveling anywhere near a tractor-trailer or commercial truck is the possibility that the truck driver will not see the motorcycle.The National Transportation Safety Board recently released a report asking the National Highway Safety Administration to target blind spot mitigation in commercial trucks, especially in those cases where blind spots significantly impact motorcyclists and cyclists.

It’s not difficult to understand why motorcyclists and cyclists may be so easy to miss for a truck driver.A truck driver has several blind spots that exist behind and around their rig and trailer, and any vehicle that is in one of these blind spots may not be easily visible to the truck driver.Those visibility difficulties become even more pronounced in the case of a motorcycle or bicycle because of the narrow frames of these vehicles.

When a truck driver is not able to identify a motorcycle in his blind spot, he is at risk of colliding with it and causing serious injury or death.While the occupants of a car have some amount of protection in the form of seatbelts, airbags and the frame of the vehicle to protect them from serious injuries in a truck accident, motorcyclists have no such luxury.They are extremely vulnerable to the high risk of injuries in an accident with a commercial truck, and it is these risks that the National Transportation Safety Board wants to target.

Published on: July 22, 2013

New Federal Rule Governing Trucker Hours of Service Goes into Effect

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

On July 1, a new federal law that modifies current hours-of-service rules went into effect, affecting thousands of truckers on U.S. highways.The law is meant to help keep our highways safer, and reduce the number of truck accidents caused by drivers who are driving while fatigued or drowsy.

Under the law, truck drivers will be required to take a break of at least a half hour in the first eight hours after they begin driving.The rule also sets a maximum work week of 70 hours, a reduction from the earlier 82-hour limit.

These are significant changes, and have come as a result of concern over the dangers from drowsy truckers on U.S. highways.There have been a number of serious accidents involving truck drivers who were fatigued and sleepy while driving.Drowsy driving is a major safety concern, and it affects not just commercial truckers and bus drivers, but also motorists.In fact, drowsy driving is believed to be one of the most neglected and underestimated safety issues impacting our roads.

Published on: August 12, 2011

Mandatory Stability Control Systems Could Minimize Rollover Truck Accident Risks

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Mandatory stability control systems in all tractor-trailers, especially tanker trucks, could help prevent as many as 3,600 rollover accidents every year and save more than 100 lives in these accidents annually.It’s the reason why Atlanta truck accident lawyers have strongly called for such systems in all commercial trucks.The National Transportation Safety Board is calling on a number of federal agencies to work together to implement rollover accident prevention systems for commercial trucks and buses.

The National Transportation Safety Board’s concern over truck rollover accidents comes through in its report into a truck accident in Indianapolis in 2009.The accident which injured five people was ultimately blamed on a tanker truck careening out of control, and flipping over, setting off an explosion.The tanker truck had been loaded with 9,100 gallons of liquefied petroleum gas at the time.

Tanker trucks represent just 6% of the total number of trucks in the country, but account for more than 30% of all fatal truck rollover accidents.Tankers carry liquid cargo, and this cargo may be prone to shifting while in transport.This shift can cause a redistribution of weight, possibly causing the truck to flip over.Tanker trucks very often carry hazardous materials like gasoline, and so, the risks from a rollover accident do not end as soon as the truck flips over.In most of these cases, the hazardous material can leak, posing a serious risk of explosions, fires and toxic exposure.