Preventing and mitigating rear-end collisions
The job of FCW is to warn drivers to the prospect of a collision, and if drivers don’t react in time, the AEB steps in. One obvious result is that there are fewer rear-end collisions. One truck fleet in Lowell, Arkansas, installed these on 98% of its tractor-trailers and reported a 50% reduction in such crashes, at least those initiated by the truckers.
Even those crashes that could not be prevented were not as serious as they would have been in terms of injuries and property damage. The fleet said that it has experienced shorter equipment downtime and seen a higher driver retention rate.
Pushing the FMCSA for nationwide adoption
Some are urging the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration to mandate AEB and FCW on all commercial trucks. So far, only stability control is under such a mandate; the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration issued the mandate back in 2017.
Truck accident victims can seek compensation
Those who have incurred auto accident injuries at the hands of a negligent trucker could seek compensatory damages from the trucking company. Know, however, that the process can be hard. The company will likely have a legal team to fight against your claim or force you into a low-ball settlement. For this and other reasons, you may want a lawyer for guidance, help gathering evidence and representation at the negotiation table.