Page 54 - ATR 2 2012 web 2

THE laST Word

Should Speed limiters be

required on Trucks?

A new study released by the up that speed on roads that you might limiters are really more about leveling
federal Motor Carrier safety prefer they not be driving fast on. These a competitive playing field than about
Administration concluded that are safety decisions that drivers are in making the roads safer. How can a
speed limiters on heavy trucks will the best position to make and we have truck speed-limited to 62 mph be safe
have a profound effect on highway to support those drivers. Any legitimate when the flow of traffic on major routes
safety by reducing the severity and study shows that safety is optimum is up around 75 mph?”
degree of injuries in accidents, and when vehicles are traveling at or around Editorial
David Tanner
can reduce the number of fatalities. the same speed.” Land Line Magazine
Most trucking organizations Todd Spencer
Executive Vice President
support speed limiters on trucks. owner operators Independent
But not all do. here is a sampling Contractors Association (ooIDA) “With that much weight going
of the proponents and opponents of down the highway, particularly in tough
speed limiters. weather, you are much more likely to
“This result [of the FMCSA Study] have a problem. With the sheer mass
“Trucks equipped with speed gover- is unsurprising when thinking about of a truck, a car will come out on
nors have a 50 percent lower crash rate the sheer weight of these giant vehicles. the short end. We’re pleased with the
than trucks not equipped with speed Trucks already require more time and results of the study, and think it will
control devices.” distance than smaller vehicles to come lead to safer highways, and less deaths
Final Report: “Safety Impacts of to a complete stop. If a truck driver and injuries.”
Speed Limiter Device Installations on is also speeding, deceleration takes Dan England
Commercial Motor Vehicles” Chairman, C.R. England, Inc.
u.S. Department of Transportation, even more time/distance, and a crash
March 2012 becomes more likely.”
Commentary by the law firm of kirsch “If you’re down in New Mexico or
“This study confirms what ATA Gartenberg & Howard, LLP Arizona, where the average speed is 70
[American Trucking Associations] has and your truck is doing 62 and everyone
been saying for years—speed kills and “I believe support for speed limit- else is doing 75 or 80, people are trying
one of the most effective ways to pre- ers presents an opportunity for our to get around a group of trucks and it
vent hundreds, if not thousands, of industry to increase our visibility in a creates a hazard.
crashes on our highways is to slow all positive way. To quote our outgoing TCA Craig Murphy
vehicles down, including large trucks.” Chairman Gary Salisbury ‘we have to Truck Driver
Bill Graves step up or we have to shut up.’”
President & CEo, Chris Burruss “We’ve got enough government in
American Trucking Associations (ATA) President, our lives already,” he said. “To be honest
Truckload Carriers Association
with you, I am as fed up as I can get. I
“To the extent that speed limiters want to be able to kick it up to 75 if I
on trucks cause a truck to operate at “Again, they [speed limiters] are need to.”
speeds below what our safe speeds are touted as safety features by special Brian L. Coderre
on interstate highways, drivers will have interest groups and big industry truck- Truck Driver
more pressure on them to try to make ing. But when all things are considered,

opinions expressed on this page may not reflect official policies or opinions of the Arkansas Trucking Association
or the American Trucking Associations.

54 ArkAnSAS trucking report | issue 2 2012