Many North Carolina motorists may feel a little uneasy when driving next to a large truck. However, a new study finds that improved safety technologies have the potential to prevent approximately 63,000 truck collisions each year, making U.S. roads safer for everyone.
According to the study, which was conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety over a 15-month period, there were over 400,000 truck-related crashes in 2015. These crashes caused 116,000 injuries and 4,000 fatalities, which represented a 4 percent jump over 2014. However, the study found that many truckers and truck companies are installing advanced safety technologies on large trucks in order to reduce accidents and help average drivers feel more comfortable sharing the road with them. These technologies include air disc brakes, automatic emergency braking, lane departure warning systems and video-based onboard safety monitors.
AAA concluded that installing advanced safety technologies on commercial trucks could save lives. Specifically, air disc brakes could prevent 1,447 injuries and 37 deaths each year while automatic emergency brakes could stop 2,753 injuries and 55 deaths. Meanwhile, lane departure warning systems could stop 1,342 injuries and 115 deaths annually, and video-based onboard safety monitors could prevent 17,733 injuries and 293 deaths.
Commercial truck accidents have been on the rise in recent years. These crashes can be caused by a number of factors, including truck driver negligence, distracting driving, drunk driving, speeding and poor vehicle maintenance. Individuals who have been injured in a collision with a commercial truck may have grounds to sue the truck driver and/or their trucking company for compensation. Typical damages paid in such a suit include medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, mental anguish and property loss.