Due to the sheer size and weight of a big rig, a motorist in a passenger vehicle has little chance of surviving devastating injuries in a crash.
However, researchers believe that state-of-the-art safety features for large trucks can prevent many thousands of truck-related crashes.
Findings from a study
In 2017, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety released a study entitled “Leveraging Large Truck Technology and Engineering to Realize Safety Gains.” Researchers looked at the benefits of equipping large trucks with advanced safety features and concluded that putting four specific systems in place could prevent approximately 63,000 truck-related crashes each year.
Warning systems
The report cited two warning systems. The lane departure warning system alerts the truck driver when the vehicle drifts out of its lane. The onboard safety monitoring system uses both cameras and sensors to monitor the performance and behavior of a driver.
Braking assistance
Air disc brakes offer both performance and maintenance advantages over drum brakes. Meanwhile, the automatic emergency braking system gauges distance and the danger of the truck striking the vehicle in front of it. The system will apply the brakes automatically if necessary.
Reasons for a crash
Overloaded cargo, braking issues and driver fatigue are among the leading causes of truck-related crashes. While advanced safety features may help reduce the incidents of truck-car crashes, the 2017 report also provided tips motorists can use to steer clear of accidents. These include staying out of the truck’s blind spot, leaving ample room between car and truck and following big rigs at a safe distance. Alert driving behavior combined with advanced safety features for trucks may save a motorist from a crash resulting in devastating injuries.