Automatic emergency braking and forward-collision warning are helping many drivers in Washington stay safe. While these features will become standard on most passenger vehicles by 2022, they are finding a slower acceptance among truck fleets. Still, between 45% and 50% of newly sold heavy-duty vehicles come with the features, which shows that many fleets understand the benefits.
How AEB reduces rear-end collisions
One Arkansas-based trucking company, which installed automatic emergency braking on 98% of its tractor-trailers, found the rate of rear-end collisions go down 50%. This is referring specifically to rear-end collisions that truckers would cause rather than passenger vehicles.
The company also discovered that the features mitigate crash severity. Thus, accidents that would have been fatal merely result in injuries, and what would have been injury crashes end in only property damage. The results for the company were shorter equipment downtime and higher driver retention rates.
AEB still relies on safe drivers
Automatic emergency braking and forward-collision warning are part of advanced driver assistance systems, or ADAS. What should be remembered about ADAS is that, as the name implies, this technology only assists drivers; the drivers themselves must still be well-trained and safety-minded. To date, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has no plans to mandate AEB on commercial trucks. However, in 2017, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration did mandate the use of stability control.
When unsafe truckers cause an accident
When truck crashes occur because of an unsafe truck driver, victims might consider filing a claim against the trucking company. In your case, you may be left dealing with injuries that have affected your ability to earn a living. You might seek compensation for medical bills, lost wages and future lost income, pain and suffering and more. It may be wise to hire a lawyer for assistance with negotiations and the collecting of evidence.
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