Will A Mandatory 68-MPH Limit Reduce Missouri Trucking Accidents?
When tractor-trailers collide with passenger vehicles, the consequences can be deadly. Although the federal government already provides extensive regulations for commercial truck drivers, new proposals are currently under consideration to help further reduce the number of truck accidents.
The Proposed Rules
First, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has announced plans to consider requiring engine controls limiting the upper speed of heavy trucks to 68 miles per hour. Under this proposal, all trucks weighing more than 26,000 pounds may be required to install Electronic Control Modules (ECMs), or speed limiters.
Second, the Department of Transportation has proposed new regulations that would require all commercial trucks and busses to be equipped with electronic monitoring devices. These devices would replace the current industry standard hours-of-service logbook, which seeks to ensure that truck drivers are not on the roads longer than is safe.
Why are New Regulations Needed?
According to supporters of these proposals, these restrictions could help increase safety on U.S. roadways. Speed limiters would make it impossible for heavy trucks to travel at excessive speeds. Electronic monitoring would help to prevent drivers from falsifying records and getting around the existing federal hours-of-service regulations.
These regulations are important everywhere, but they are particularly important for Midwestern states like Kansas and Missouri. According to NHTSA truck-crash statistics, in 2009, 7.2 percent of all fatal motor vehicle accidents in Missouri and 10.2 percent of all fatal motor vehicle accidents in Kansas involved a large truck. Far too many lives have been unnecessarily cut short.
Following a fatal truck accident, nothing can bring back a loved one. Severe injuries caused by a truck accident can change a life forever, and nothing will fix that. However, a knowledgeable personal injury attorney can help to protect the interests of the victims. Speak with a lawyer to discuss your rights and options.