Just like it sounds, speed limiters limit the speed of commercial trucks. When operating, if the vehicle reaches the pre-programmed governed road speed, the truck's engine control module (ECM) limits the amount of fuel passing through fuel injectors into the engine to limit the top possible speed.
Today, they're standard on large trucks throughout many countries in Europe, as well as Japan and Australia and two Canadian Provinces (Ontario and Quebec). The law says that the speed of trucks with gross vehicle weight ratings of 26,000 pounds or more must not exceed 65 miles per hour. The speed limiter requirement affects all trucks equipped with an electronically controlled engine.
A Brief History of Speed Limiters
New trucks have had speed limiter technology since the early 1990s. Activating it is a simple matter of programming the unit in minutes by a certified technician to limit the maximum speed attainable by a truck. Many American truck fleets already use speed limiters, not just for safety but also for minimizing fuel consumption, harmful emissions, maintenance costs, and insurance premiums. They are far less likely to incur nuclear crash verdicts.
However, these limiters are heavily debated in the trucking industry. In this article, we'll learn more about the role of speed limiters, their impact on safety, and the different viewpoints they carry.
The Causes and Dangers of a Speeding Truck
Many drivers of heavy trucks are paid by miles driven rather than a salary or hourly wages. This payment structure can incentivize drivers to speed by traveling additional miles in a shift. Additionally, as we know, there are many uncontrollable factors that life on the road entails. There's traffic, construction zones, weather, delays at shippers and receivers, and so much more - all of which require slower speeds. Adding in extra time to deliver your loads has a real impact on your bottom line, and many big rig drivers try to make up for this by running beyond the legal speed limit.
Tractor-trailer rigs on US highways can weigh up to 80,000 pounds when loaded, while the average American car tips the scale at about 3,000 pounds or less. Knowing this, it goes without saying that in the case of an accident between the two vehicles - especially between a truck and a car - the car and its driver are at a significant safety disadvantage.
An average 80,000-pound truck traveling at a highway speed of 65 miles per hour needs at least 525 feet to stop fully, which is just over a tenth of a mile due to a considerable weight and height. Unfortunately, many heavy truck-related accidents result in severe injury and death.
The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) tracks the circumstances involving large truck accidents. Their 2019 report, available here Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts 2019 | FMCSA (dot.gov) Large Truck and Bus Crash Facts 2019 | FMCSA (dot.gov), reveals two interesting facts:
- Of the approximately 510,000 police-reported crashes involving large trucks in 2019, there were 4,479 fatal crashes and 114,000 injury crashes. And 62% of fatal large truck crashes involved two vehicles
- With 82% of the fatal crashes involving large trucks, the fatalities were not occupants of the large truck. No matter who is at fault in the accident, the driver of the smaller vehicle faces a much larger safety risk.
The Effectiveness of Speed Limiter Policies on Safety
Studies have shown that speeding in a truck lengthens the vehicle's stopping distance and reduces a driver's available reaction time to avoid an accident.
Does that mean that speed limiters can be an effective way to reduce large truck crashes? Should there be a uniform policy regarding speed limiters across the US as we see in other countries?
Regulators are again proposing the possibility of requiring speed limiter devices on heavy trucks to improve safety on American highways. But the answers to these two questions are highly debated, and just like any issue, there are multiple sides. In fact, whether or not to mandate a speed limiter policy has been under consideration for over a decade now. In this article, we'll lay out both the arguments of those who are in favor of speed limiters and those who are against them.
The Argument in Favor of Speed Limiter Technology
Those who would like a speed limiter policy to pass argue that it will lead to increased safety and security of everyone - both truck drivers and other motorists. Especially since most trucks have this technology already built in, simply limiting the speed at which they can travel would be a minimally-disruptive and inexpensive change to make. Those in favor also argue that speed limiters bring benefits to fuel economy as well as reduction of maintenance for brakes and tires. Furthermore, while some carriers voluntarily limit the speed at which their drivers can travel, such a policy would be uniform for all, leveling the playing field toward a much safer one for everyone on the road.
There are some statistics to support speed limiter policies. According to Road Safe America, the non-profit organization working to increase the safety of all drivers on the road, here are the facts:
- A Department of Transportation study revealed that using speed limiters cut down the number of high-speed truck collisions by half
- The Ontario Ministry of Transportation stated that after the mandatory speed limiter policy became required showed a drop of 73% in "high speed-related, truck-at-fault crashes."
- Utilizing speed limiter technology of "heavy vehicles to 65-68 mph would save 27-214 U.S. lives annually."
The efforts for a mandated speed limiter policy date back to 2006. Most recently, U.S. Representatives Lucy McBath (D-Ga.), and John Katko (R-N.Y.) sponsored the Cullum Owings Large Truck Safe Operating Speed Act, a bill named after Cullum Owings, a college student was killed by a truck that was driving too fast on cruise control in 2002.
However, as we'll learn, there are plenty of opposing viewpoints that argue that these limiters do not lead to increased safety on the road.
The Argument Against Speed Limiter Technology
Opponents argue that slower trucks mean longer trip times and inefficient customer service, compounding supply chain issues. And fewer miles driven in a shift means lower pay for many drivers paid by miles driven. Some feel that having to endure longer trips could increase distracted driving with long, uneventful times behind the wheel, but that is unproven.
The argument that slower trucks will create a dangerous hazard for faster moving smaller vehicles drivers is also unproven. This further states that slower trucks will result in bottlenecks and traffic congestion on highways. Others suggest that slow-moving trucks will result in intolerance from smaller vehicle drivers in a hurry, giving truckers a bad reputation and even resulting in more road rage incidents.
Fleets already using speed limiters like the idea of mandating speed limiters for all large trucks in the US as it likely would level the playing field for competition and lead to customers rewarding those truckers who provide the best equipment and stellar service.
American Trucking Associations (ATA) has taken the position of petitioning the government in favor of requiring speed limiters on all large trucks using American roads and highways. ATA believes it will reduce needless loss of life, eliminate waste of millions of gallons of fuel each year, and dramatically reduce harmful greenhouse gas emissions.
Final Thoughts
The speed limiter debate here in the United States will continue until we're able to reach an agreement about it. One way to voice your opinion is to contact your government representative to let them know how you feel about this important issue. And no matter which way you lean, we hope that you motor safely.
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