Safety Measures for Elk Grove Truck Drivers
Though the trucking industry in Elk Grove is thriving and sees multi-billion dollar profits each year, the trucking companies have been largely resistant to implementing any safety measures or technological advancements in the trucks that are designed to prevent accidents. Below I discuss some recent technological improvements and innovations and how they could help increase truck driver safety on the road.
Driverless Cars
The newest phenomenon in the driving world is the driverless car. Google has been using driverless cars at its Mountain View campus for years now. Google is now working on introducing a groundbreaking new vehicle that will be a 100% automated experience for consumer drivers. Drivers will cease to drive and will instead be allowed to relax and take in the scenery around them. While many are uneasy about trusting technology to function properly, driverless cars have thus far shown they are safer and less prone to error than human drivers.
The trucking industry could benefit from driverless trucks. Truck drivers traveling through Elk Grove and other northern California cities are prone to accidents because they are overworked, stressed, fatigued, and often times under the influence. A driverless truck could remove the human element of carelessness.
Automatic Manual Transmission
Suzuki has recently begun installing an automatic manual transmission (AMT) in some of its cars, in which the hydraulic system and electronic system communicate to determine when to switch gears. While drivers can select a manual shift mode, the default is an automated shift.
18 wheelers are commonly stick shift. An AMT could reduce accidents caused by driver error and mechanical failure of the clutch.
Vehicle to Vehicle Communication
A new technology currently being tested by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is vehicle to vehicle communication (V2V). V2V is designed to reduce the number of accidents on the road. Cars equipped with V2V are able to communicate with other vehicles on the road. Vehicles will be better able to detect stopped traffic up ahead, cars in blind spots, trucks stopped on the side of the road, and quickly approaching vehicles.
Using V2V technology, trucks can better see smaller vehicles in the blind spot range, as well as accurately predict when a truck driver will need to stop in advance due to congestion, an accident, debris, etc.
Pre-Collision Assist
Automakers are currently working on implementing special software, to be installed in vehicles, that monitors driving and provides warnings when a driver is careless. The pre-collision assist system can detect cars in the blind spot zone, warn the driver when he speeds, and alert the driver if he is tailgating another car. When the driver is being careless, an alert is sounded with instructions on how to fix the issue. If the driver ignores the alert or does not hear it, the pre-collision assist system will automatically slow down the car. The system works by connecting sensors on the outside of the car with the computer system.
Truck drivers are oftentimes awake for several hours or even days while driving and would benefit from an alert system designed to keep them awake and driving cautiously.
Edward A Smith Law Offices
I’m Ed Smith, an Elk Grove Truck Accident Lawyer, with the primary accident information site on the web, AutoAccident.com. We handle many Elk Grove Truck Accidents.
If you or a loved one has suffered a serious injury during a trucking accident in Elk Grove, call me now at (916) 694-0002. If you are outside the Elk Grove area, you can call me at (800) 404-5400 toll-free for fast, friendly advice now.
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Photo Attribution: Wikimedia Commons Public Domain Truck Images