The Cochran Firm Legal Blog

Although the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) often has its hands tied in trying to force trucking companies to follow safe practices, the federal agency is constantly looking for ways to prevent large truck accidents. As part of this effort, the FMCSA publishes analyses of new technology that may be able to prevent major truck accidents, including fatal semi truck accidents. In March, the FMCSA published its findings related to three new technologies that are available now. Trucking companies could install for a small price and could save thousands of lives every year.

Forward Collision Warning Systems (FCWS) use an audible or visual crash warning to tell drivers if they are approaching a slower-moving vehicle or stationary object. This warning will then give drivers an opportunity to slow down and avoid collision with the object or vehicle. It is estimated that an FCWS would prevent between 21 and 44% of all crashes where the semi truck rear-ends the passenger vehicle (car) or another truck.

Lane Departure Warning Systems (LDWS) warn drivers when they are leaving their lane without engaging their turn signal. This is designed to prevent single-vehicle crashes where the truck leaves the road, lane-change accidents, and head-on accidents. It is estimated that an LDWS would prevent between 23 and 53 percent of all accidents of these types.

Roll Stability Control Systems (RSC) are being commonly implemented in passenger vehicles. However, they are rarely used in semi trucks and other large trucks. This technology prevents the semi truck from rolling over, an event that occurs thousands of times a year, leading to fatalities among truckers and passenger car drivers. RSCs may prevent between 37 and 53% of all semi truck rollover accidents.

Combining these three technologies could prevent hundreds of deaths every year, not to mention save the destruction of property that typically accompanies a semi truck accident. FCWS alone could prevent more than 1200 fatal truck accidents, nearly 15,000 injury truck accidents, and over 40,000 property damage accidents. These technologies can make a big difference in crashes in Texas. Unlike most states, and the country as a whole, where the number of fatal truck accidents are in decline, deadly truck accidents have increased in Texas over the last decade.

These technologies are also inexpensive, ranging from $440 for RSC up to $1800 for FCWS. If trucking companies only cared enough to try to prevent deadly truck accidents, they would invest in these technologies.

If you have lost a loved one as a result of a truck accident that could have been prevented, schedule a truck accident consultation with the motor vehicle accident attorneys at the Houston, Texas or Dallas, Texas office of The Cochran Firm today.

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