3 Ways Speed Limiters Make Semi-Trucks Safer

Driving at high speeds can cause accidents that result in serious injuries or death. This danger is especially prevalent when the speeding vehicle is a semi-truck because of the vehicle’s size, which contributes to the force of an accident.

In 2021, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration found 28% of all fatal crashes were speeding related, coming to a total of 12,330 fatalities. 13% of all injury crashes involved speeding, or 328,946 people. While all drivers should practice driving at safe speeds, the installation of speed limiters in semi-trucks and other heavy trucks can reduce the number of fatalities caused by speeding trucks, specifically. Limiting the speed of semi-trucks to 65 mph can save 63 to 214 lives each year.

Below are the three main safety advantages of installing speed limiters.

1. Limiting truck speeds can reduce the severity of crashes.

The severity of a wreck typically depends on the speed and size of the vehicles involved in the wreck. When an accident includes a speeding semi-truck, the severity increases because the truck can weigh up to 80,000 pounds. These combined factors cause an extremely forceful impact that can be serious or fatal to those inside a passenger vehicle.

High speeds and large vehicle sizes cause the crash energy to disproportionately increase, generating more energy for the impacted vehicle to manage. When that excess energy is absorbed and dissipated, it challenges the structure of the passenger vehicle, therefore raising the chances of severe injuries or death. Installing speed limiters in semi-trucks and other heavy trucks ultimately reduces the number of high-speed wrecks.

2. Slower speeds allow drivers more time to react while driving.

There are many different road conditions that require drivers to pay attention to the road and react to anything that may lead to an accident. This includes the ability to effectively stop your vehicle or swerve away from obstacles. When weather conditions affect visibility or road conditions, reaction time is more important than ever.

Speeding increases the potential to lose control of the vehicle when driving. This can be especially dangerous when trying to perform evasive maneuvers to prevent an accident. Driving at high speeds also increases the amount of time you need to bring your vehicle to a full stop. Semi-trucks, specifically, require the length of a football field to come to a stop.

Not only does speeding give you less time to react to what is happening around you, but it also makes you more likely to lose control when you do react. The installation of speed limiters ensures that semi-trucks do not travel at high speeds, ultimately reducing the potential and severity of wrecks when faced with dangerous conditions.

3. Controlled speeds can prevent rollovers and jackknifing.

Driving at high speeds in a semi-truck can cause the vehicle to jackknife or roll over. A jackknife occurs when the trailer overtakes the cab, creating a “V” shape. If the trailer swings to the side, the jackknife can cut across multiple lanes and collide with other vehicles, objects on the side of the road, or lead to a rollover.

Jackknifing can be caused by stopping too suddenly, bad weather that leads to skidding on the road, turning too fast, or overcompensating during a safety maneuver. If a driver is speeding, each of these instances is more likely to occur.

A rollover occurs when the tractor-trailer of a truck overturns or rolls over. Semi-trucks are vulnerable to rollovers because of the trailer’s high center of gravity and potentially unstable loads. When traveling along a curved path, the centrifugal force can cause the trailer to lean away from the curve’s direction. In a study conducted by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration that examined 239 rollover crashes, it was found that in almost half of the wrecks, a failure to adjust speed to the road’s curves was a factor.

The best way to prevent jackknifing and rollovers is to adhere to the speed limit, which makes drivers less likely to face problems with sudden stops, maneuvers, or road curves. Speed limiters help truck drivers maintain safe speeds. Driving at the posted speed limit also makes it easier to maintain a safe following distance and use gradual braking and acceleration, helping drivers avoid movements that make the trailer swing out of alignment or overturn.

Injured After a Truck Wreck? Craig, Kelley & Faultless Can Help

Attorneys at Craig, Kelley & Faultless are prepared and have the experience to help victims and their loved ones involved in commercial vehicle wrecks through every aspect of their case. Both attorneys David W. Craig and Scott A. Faultless are board-certified in truck accident law by the NBTA, accredited by the American Bar Association. The firm also has a rapid response team that works with investigators, reconstructionists and mechanics who immediately collect evidence as soon as the firm is hired. Additionally, two of the firm’s litigation paralegals are board-certified in truck accident law by the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys. As David has said, “We don’t just handle truck accident cases. We specialize in these cases.”

Their team-centered approach puts client needs at the forefront, and several attorneys will work on your case to achieve the best possible outcome.

Reach out for a free case consultation today at (888) 253-5198 or online.

David W. Craig is board-certified by the National Board of Trial Advocacy, accredited by the American Bar Association in Truck Accident Law. He sits on the Board of Regents of the Academy of Truck Accident Attorneys (which requires the board certification in truck accident law). He is the managing partner and one of the founding partners of Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC. He is recognized as a Top 10 Trucking Trial Lawyer and Top 100 Trial Lawyer in Indiana by the National Trial Lawyers, as well as a Top 50 Indiana lawyer by Super Lawyers. David is the author of Semitruck Wreck, A Guide for Victims and Their Families and It’s Never Been Easier to Hire the Wrong Attorney, both written to help people navigate what comes next after a tragic wreck. He also hosts the podcast After the Crash, where you can gain valuable information about the dangers involving semis and large trucks that do not follow safety protocol regarding speed, weather conditions, maintenance upkeep, etc.