Mandatory
speed limiters coming for US truckers
According
to a report from the US Department of Transport, October 1 could see a new
motor carrier rule requiring all heavy vehicles to use speed limiters. This is
in spite of a recent court ruling declaring speed limiters unsafe.
But
a study of traffic flows in America, and most other civilized countries, would
quickly show that average truck speeds are considerable less than the average for
other vehicles. Truck speed problems are imaginary only.
Trucks
travel slower for two reasons: In many places the speed limit is lower for
trucks and trucks are incapable of traveling faster on hills, or accelerating
rapidly after a slow-down. But most truck drivers would feel safer if they were
allowed to go with the flow, complying with uniform speed limits for all
vehicle types.
In
the USA a truck driver is five times more likely to be killed on the job
compared to the average worker and this fact may be unduly influencing the
lawmakers. But let’s look at how these truck drivers are killed.
Firstly,
they are rarely killed in single vehicle accidents. Most fatal truck
crashes include one or more cars. For many years the truck/car crash statistics
have shown a 70/30% apportionment of fault against the car driver. But this ratio is not clear-cut because sometimes there may be more than one driver at fault.
Typically,
the car drivers in these crashes fall into two categories: First, a confused or
inexperienced car driver who, unaware of the danger, just drives
inappropriately while close to a truck. Second, is the driver with “small man”
syndrome who deliberately drives inappropriately near a truck, or just drives
at high speed to prove to one and all that he’s a real man.
In
many crashes the truck driver has died trying to avoid an accident created by
someone else. But a big rig does not respond well to abrupt changes of
direction.
The
latest statistics from the USA show that the 70/30 apportionment is now out of
date. Rule changes and training have lifted the bar for truckers and they can
now claim 80/20 as the norm. Meanwhile, many
car drivers still fail to understand the risks they are taking with their own
lives and the lives of others.
In
many truck/car crashes the car was being driven erratically and even at
exceptionally high speed for the conditions. What chance would a trucker have
of avoiding a collision with such a vehicle, either going the same way, or in
the opposite direction?
All
over the world speeding cars have always been a major factor in road crashes.
The younger the driver, the worse the problem; they know so much when they know
so little. When they are young they can react in a split-second (they believe),
so for them it is safe to drive like a bullet (they believe).
Therefore,
I propose to throw a spoke in the wheel of the US legislators, who are
influenced by voters, who incidentally are mostly car drivers. My suggestion is
that speed limiters should only be mandatory in cars driven by inexperienced,
young drivers.
I
further suggest that compelling a truck driver to travel slower than the limit
for other vehicles is a breach of his human rights because it exposes him to unnecessary
and avoidable danger.
But
my 50 years of professional driving won’t count for anything unless others
endorse what I am saying.
DO NOT GO DRIVING!
It's safer to stay home with a good book
Available now from Amazon or Smashwords
