Is Technology Improving Truck Driver Safety?

Truck Driver Safety Technology

Written by Jeremy D. Earle, JD

May 24, 2023

Best Truck Accident Law Firm in Denver

The majority of Colorado drivers are used to sharing the road with tractor-trailers. Trucks clog up crowded roadways, making them difficult to avoid while switching lanes. During peak hours, this may be nerve-wracking and hazardous for Denver drivers and passengers, regardless of the time of day or week.

Many drivers are unaware that trucks have a significant blind zone on either side of the car. Because trucks are higher above the ground, many drivers believe they can see everyone on the road. This mindset may lead to hazardous accidentss, some of which may be deadly.

Fortunately, passenger drivers may learn about a truck’s blind areas to lower the risk of a collision, and truck drivers can reduce the risk of colliding with passenger cars by adding extra mirrors to their no-zones.

A car trying to pass around a semi-truck on a two-lane highway is another major issue. When an auto driver cannot notice approaching traffic due to the truck’s size, they may try to pass on the left and drive right into the path of an oncoming car while attempting to pass the enormous rig. A head-on accident with another car might happen, inflicting significant injury to both drivers and passengers.

Cars can safely pass on Colorado roads thanks to new video technology.

Samsung is working on a new technology that aims to increase driving safety even further. Samsung has presented the first of its ‘Safety Trucks’ prototypes equipped with massive flat-screen monitors. The trucks utilize cameras, wireless video, and large displays to let drivers behind the car see what is approaching before deciding whether or not to pass it.

Regardless of the road or weather, the overtaking motorist receives a super-high resolution view of the road ahead, enabling them to assess passing possibilities more precisely and make more educated driving judgments. This might avoid many of the accidents when cars attempt to pass on two-lane roadways, perhaps saving many lives.

It may also reveal truck drivers’ perspectives on the road, and the space cars should keep ahead of a truck before entering its lane. A jury of 25 experts recognized Samsung’s Safety Truck as one of Time magazine’s inventions of the year in 2015.

Argentina will do extensive testing.

Samsung gained authorization to extend its testing program in 2016, enabling testing on many Safety Trucks to see whether they successfully minimize the number of accidents caused by cars overtaking trucks after the production of a prototype last year. If the testing goes well, Samsung plans to release the Safety Truck in global markets, including the United States.

The Consequences of Passing

Trucks may impede a driver’s vision and make it difficult to judge whether it is safe to pass a commercial car, regardless of how many lanes are available on Colorado roadways. This is particularly true on two-lane roads, where attempting a passing move requires the driver to risk a head-on collision or a disastrous accident with a huge and powerful car.

Truck drivers often have difficulty spotting passing cars and may not respond in time if a car swings back into their lane too quickly ahead of the truck. Additional innovations based on the Safety Truck technology might enable truck drivers to see more of their surroundings, minimizing the risk of accidents caused by collisions with cars in their blind areas.

While not every corporation embraces the technology accessible to them, some bigger companies, such as Walmart, Waste Management, and others, are adopting technology like Dash Cams to improve driver safety and prevent an 18-wheeler accident lawsuit.

According to the American Trucking Association, approximately 3 1/2 million truck drivers in the United States. Those truckers transport three-quarters of all the freight our country utilizes every year. The trucking sector is the lifeblood of the United States. With this need comes a price tag: according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, truck drivers account for around 15% of all employees murdered on the job each year.

According to Colorado truck accident data, the state has more truck crashes than any other. Denver has the highest number of fatal transportation accidents in Colorado.

Cost-cutting via technology

Insurance coverage and out-of-pocket litigation fees are two areas where companies are experimenting with technology to save costs. Cameras in the cab of a large rig may be quite useful to a firm in keeping its drivers honest and rapidly determining the reason for a collision.

Too many truck drivers are afraid of losing their jobs. Therefore they may not be completely honest with the firm about what happened. When a collision is captured on camera in the truck’s cab, the adage “a picture is worth a thousand words” applies. We recently won a major injury truck accident case in which the car’s driver used dash cameras.

Both what occurred outside the huge truck and the effect on the driver were captured on the dashcam. After our truck accident lawyers obtained the footage, the corporation agreed to pay our client a large payment. A truck accident inquiry should begin as soon as possible following the collision.

Electronic solutions that allow the firm and inspectors to check electronic records such as trip reports or “black box data” and the number of hours the driver has traveled in the previous day and week are also popular. Larger trucking businesses are discovering that using technology improves compliance with safety regulations and lowers expenses.

Truck Manufacturers Embracing Technology Sensors that can detect anything from low tires to lane departure alerts have been introduced to the market to help decrease accidents. Many backing accidents are also reduced by using rear backing sensors and cameras. These technology solutions are, of course, not cheap.

On the other hand, Trucking businesses are discovering that an avoidable accident comes with a slew of expenditures, including some intangibles that mount up over time. Moving ahead, the connection market for large rigs is expected to be worth 3.5 billion dollars.

Larger trucking companies prioritize technology.

It’s no surprise that the biggest trucking firms are among the first to use technology innovations to avoid collisions. Trucking businesses face a driver crisis, and rookie drivers are much more likely than more experienced drivers to be involved in an accident. It’s merely excellent business sense to use technology to monitor driver safety and compliance with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.

Onboard safety technology reduces risk and, as a result, insurance premiums.

For trucking firms, insurance is a significant expenditure. Due to policy expenses, the commercial car insurance market in the United States lost $716 million last year. As a consequence, insurers around the nation raised prices, including for our Colorado trucking firms. Due to a shortage of experienced drivers, trucking companies have had to recruit younger drivers, who are more difficult and costly to insure.

Trucking businesses have discovered a way to keep their prices down while maintaining their insurance coverage, thanks to onboard safety equipment that results in cheaper rates. Installation of truck safety equipment answers insurance carriers’ worries about distracted driving. Also, it provides trucking businesses with additional resources to properly teach their young drivers, making them look less of a danger to insurers.

Camera surveillance might lead to more comprehensive safety programs.

An unforeseen and good advantage develops when trucking businesses install onboard cameras to placate insurance providers and lower premium prices. Companies have the opportunity to implement new programs and regulations that keep drivers and others safer on the road when safety technology data is reviewed, and major concerns are identified. Based on the input, they may be able to enhance existing safety initiatives.

In 2015, ACT (American Central Transport) installed a dashcam system throughout its whole fleet. DriveCam from Lytx, Inc., a dashcam application that was purportedly deployed in 400,000 cars in 2016, was utilized by the trucking firm.

DriveCam keeps track of cars’ speeds and monitors dangerous driving, such as inattentive driving. Data analysis indicated that many of ACT’s drivers were eating, texting, reading maps, and doing other activities while driving after the DriveCam technology was put in their fleet.

The DriveCam input was utilized by ACT to create a safety program that addressed important issues such as the usage of handheld gadgets while driving, such as GPS units and telephones. ACT transformed useful data into good change for its drivers and others who share the road with them thanks to the DriveCam technology, which leads to cheaper insurance costs.

ACT was able to alter its policy on portable device offenses because of the comments provided by DriveCam. Drivers who earned penalties were required to meet with management by ACT. The driver’s job or driving contract would be terminated if another infraction occurred within six months.

Trucking firm owners may use truck safety technologies to improve compliance with the Compliance, Safety, and Accountability (CSA) Program’s Unsafe Driving BASIC, in addition to better managing their insurance policies.

Improve their CSA ratings

Keep their drivers safe

Assist in the creation of safer roads for all drivers

Although trucking businesses are using safety technology for their advantage, which many argue is for the wrong reasons, the final consequence is that technology is likely making Colorado roads and highways safer. Hopefully, as a result, there will be fewer injuries and deaths as a result of truck accidents.

Contact a Denver Car Accident Lawyer.

If you were wounded in an car accident while attempting to pass a semi-tractor trailer, your injuries were certainly significant, if not life-threatening. Warrior Truck Accident Lawyers has experienced Denver car accident lawyers who can help you figure out who, if anybody, is to blame. With a free consultation, our lawyers are ready to analyze your case right now. Please contact us at 719-300-1100.

Warrior Car Accident Lawyers

1902 W. Colorado Ave., Suite 100

Colorado Springs, CO 80904

719-300-1100

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