I recently wrote about the National Transportation Safety Board’s call for tanker trucks to have rollover/stability systems to prevent truck accidents. Now the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is readying a proposal that would require truck tractors to be equipped with stability control systems.
In its proposal, slated for publication by year-end, NHTSA is expected to spec out a standard that’s already in use by many fleets, thanks chiefly to its safety benefits. (Systems are now estimated to be in place on almost one-quarter of large trucks.) The upcoming proposal will only cover tractors. Still unclear: the NHTSA’s stance on the two approaches to stability tech: Electronic Stability Control and Roll Stability Control.
NHTSA notes that rollover and loss-of-control truck crashes cause over 300 deaths and almost 3000 injuries a year. It suggests that anti-rollover systems could prevent up to 66 deaths and 1000 injuries a year. And while the systems could cost the trucking industry over $100 million a year, they could also save almost $400 million by preventing damage and delays.
If you think you may have a case involving a truck or trucking accident, I am available for consultations on all trucking litigation matters. Please contact me at [email protected] or call me at 1-800-628-4500.
