The trucking industry is a vital part of the economy for people in Georgia and across the country. Retailers and consumers still heavily rely on trucks to transport goods using the nation’s highways. However, safety is a concern for many who must share the road with these large vehicles, as crashes involving tractor trailers are often extremely serious for smaller cars and trucks.
That is why the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration has proposed the installation of speed limiters on certain trucks, according to Trucks.com. However, some believe that the negatives of controlling how fast trucks can travel far outweigh the positives.
To begin with, truck accidents will always be serious because of how heavy trucks are, regardless of how fast a driver is going, some argue. Allowing truckers to tailor their speeds to the flow of traffic will be safer than allowing other vehicles to travel at faster speeds than trucks. In addition, opponents point to areas like Ontario, Canada which saw increased traffic congestion in areas where truck speeds are limited. This is especially true on two-lane highways, where passing is already difficult.
However, other groups have expressed support for the NHTSA proposal. Autoblog reports that the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, as well as industry groups such as the American Trucking Association, are in favor of speed limiters. In fact, many large companies have already been using them for years, they point out. Reducing speed capabilities will reduce the severity of crashes and will also result in increased fuel efficiency, proponents argue.
