A rear-end collision by a truck, which can weigh 30 times more than a passenger vehicle, may be deadly for the occupants of those smaller vehicles. These truck accidents were rapidly increasing although crash avoidance technology can prevent 40 percent of these crashes, according to a recent study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
Fatalities grow
Traffic accidents involving large trucks were almost one-third higher in 2018 after hitting a record low in 2009. There were 4,136 deaths from large truck accidents in 2018, according to the most recent data. Large trucks rear-ending passenger vehicles caused 119 of those fatalities.
Crash avoidance technology
Front-crash prevention technology uses cameras, radars, or sensors to monitor the road in front of the truck. Some of these devices include forward collision warning which alerts drivers to roadway obstacles.
AEB braking systems automatically apply the truck’s brakes to prevent a crash or reduce its severity. AEB systems usually include forward-collision warning.
Twenty automakers, comprising 99 percent of the American market, will make AEB standard on almost new passenger vehicles by Sept. 1, 2022. The number of large trucks equipped with AEB increased. Few studies existed on the effectiveness of AEB.
Crash reduction
The IIHS found that forward warning systems lowered rear-end collisions by 44 percent. AEB systems led to a 41 percent reduction.
Trucks with forward collision warning systems had 22 percent fewer accidents than trucks without this technology. Trucks equipped with AEB had 12 percent fewer accidents.
The IIHS study involved 2,000 accidents taking place over more than two billion vehicle miles traveled from 2017 to 2019. It involved 62 carriers with tractor-trailers and other trucks weighing at least 33,000 pounds. Accidents without injuries or significant property damage were excluded.
Another study also revealed that each system lowered truck speed by approximately 50 percent. This reduced the impact force and damage to the forward vehicle.
An attorney can pursue your right to compensation. Their representation can help protect your interests in settlement negotiations or court proceedings.
