Speed Limiters Halted In Their Tracks
Due to their immense size, tractor trailers pose a significant threat on the road; as such, the Department of Transportation (DOT) was poised to mandate that these road giants use speed limiters to physically limit their maximum speeds. The mandate’s inspiration was to increase road safety while decreasing carbon emissions. According to a report in the Commercial Carrier Journal and similar stories in other trade publications, the Trump administration’s position on federal regulations will likely result in the end of the mandate.
Safe Roads Are Top Concern
Accidents involving commercial trucks are often devastating in terms of both destruction and injury. Truck speed has repeatedly been identified as the most negatively determinative factor in these collisions. According to the DOT, serious big-rig accidents are on the rise and have been since 2009. These are important statistics for all drivers to pay attention to; driving a motor vehicle is always a serious business, and sharing the road with motorized behemoths only increases the danger.
Keep on Truckin’
Since the speed-limiter mandate probably won’t be going into effect, it’s difficult to know how effective it might have been. What is known is that speed kills. The DOT envisioned the limiters as a viable means of reducing commercial trucks’ speed limits, which they have determined would help fortify safer driving conditions while decreasing the trucking industry’s carbon footprint.
Although the American Trucking Association (ATA) has lobbied for speed-limiter regulations for a long time, it is against this particular speed-limiter mandate. The ATA finds that the specifics of this proposal don’t align with their goals in several different ways:
- No specific speed limit is included.
- How safety is affected by speed differentials between large and small vehicles is not factored in.
- Commercial drivers could become overly reliant upon safety that is driven by technology rather than honing their own expertise (especially important when road conditions are dangerous).
- The mandate does not include specifics regarding retroactive installations.
The trucking industry was pushing back on this mandate for speed limiters, and they seem to have accomplished their goal of eliminating the proposition.
Accidents Happen
Accidents will continue to happen, of course, and increased semi speeds will continue to exacerbate these accidents. If you or your loved one has been involved in a commercial tractor-trailer crash in Florida, seek immediate medical attention and then retain experienced legal counsel.
Call an Ocala Truck-accident Attorney for a Free Consultation Today
Driving accidents are terrifying, and that is never more true than when a big rig is involved. The experienced Ocala truck accident attorneys at Meldon Law are here to help. We are skilled at navigating the complicated legal process of obtaining the compensation that you deserve. For more information, please call us today at 800-373-8000.
- Improving the Safety of Commercial Motor Vehicles
- President Trump’s Decrees Impact US DOT’s Truck Speed Limiter Rule
