Do Speed Limiters Prevent Truck Accidents?
by
Frank Hartman on Sep. 15, 2015
Accident & Injury Car Accident Accident & Injury Personal Injury Industry Specialties Transportation & Shipping
Summary: In an effort to control the speed of their drivers, many commercial trucking companies have begun installing devices in their trucks that limit the truck to a certain maximum speed.
In an
effort to control the speed of their drivers, many commercial trucking
companies have begun installing devices in their trucks that limit the truck to
a certain maximum speed. These devices are generally installed in the name of
safety—assuming that if truck drivers cannot travel at excessive speeds, the
risk of collisions will be reduced. A rule mandating speed limiters—also known
as speed governors—on certain trucks is expected to soon be finalized and issued
by the 
Department of Transportation (DOT)1 and the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).2 The expected speed limit for these
devices is 65 miles per hour.
However,
the debate on speed limiters is ongoing in the trucking industry, as some
drivers and experts fear that these devices do not decrease accidents and may
even increase risks under certain circumstances. Anyone who has been involved
in a collision with a commercial truck should contact an experienced
Charleston, South Carolina truck accident attorney to discuss a potential case.
Concerns
about speed limiters
Many truck
drivers believe that limiting a truck to 65 miles per hour under any circumstances
is dangerous. Many highways across the country have speed limits well above 65
and truck drivers worry that mandating they drive slower than the natural flow
of traffic will actually lead to additional collisions.
In
addition, there are companies that offer devices that allow truck drivers to
secretly disable speed limiters so that they may travel as fast as they want.
These devices, however, also “trick” the data recorders in the trucks into
thinking they were actually traveling 65 or below, so it would be difficult to
identify whether a driver was, in fact, speeding at the time of a collision.
Such devices can actually encourage dangerous speeding in truck drivers and
make it more difficult for accident victims to prove negligence. We will be
watching to see if the mandate is issued and what measures may be taken to
limit disabling devices on trucks.
Discuss
your situation with a skilled Charleston, SC truck accident lawyer
At the Hartman
Law Firm, LLC,
experienced truck accident attorney Frank Hartman is committed to helping
injured victims obtain full compensation from negligent truck drivers and
companies. These cases can be complex, so do no hesitate to call our office at
843-300-7600 as soon as possible for your free consultation.
