Truck Platooning — Raising Serious Safety Concerns

Truck platooning brings with it a major benefit — that of fuel efficiency. And this attracts considerable attention from private fleet owners and truckload carriers. But, what is truck platooning? It is the linking of two or more trucks in convoy by using automated driving support systems and connectivity technology.

The truck heading the convoy acts as the leader, with the rest of the vehicles moving behind it adapting and reacting to the changes. Truck platooning has immense potential to ensure that the roads are cleaner, safer, and more efficient. The question, however, is whether truck platooning is a good idea, considering the trucking industry’s safety records.

In this post, Marion truck accident attorneys at Manley Traeger draw attention to some serious safety concerns related to truck platooning:

• The trucking industry and trucking companies promote truck platooning as safe and responsive. In some cases it attracts attention due to fuel consumption benefits. Unfortunately, truck platooning may lead to severe hazards for ordinary drivers. When there’s a large fleet of trucks on the road, other vehicles may slow down to an unreasonably slow speed or even over-speed to pass the fleet of trucks quickly. None of these options are desirable and can lead to deadly collisions.
• Truck drivers are often forced to violate hours-of-service regulations, thereby causing severe fatigue. Exhaustion and tiredness often lead to problems in focusing, impaired reflexes, and delayed reaction times. In such cases, drivers tend to fall asleep behind the wheel. Fatigued driving while platooning could turn deadly, very quickly.
• The trucking industry has a poor track record of complying with regulations. This has led to deadly accidents since 2007. There are cases of trucking companies hiring inexperienced drivers who lack adequate training. Some companies have also refused to implement reforms that would prevent drivers from driving these gigantic vehicles after drug-related arrests.

Unless trucking companies improve their safety records, tackle the shortage of drivers, and enhance hiring practices, they should not go all out and adopt truck platooning.

Contact Our Marion Personal Injury Attorneys

If you’ve suffered injuries in a collision involving a large truck, our Marion trucking accident attorneys are here to help. With more than two decades of experience and sole focus on handling complicated truck accident cases, Marion personal injury attorneys are powerful and aggressive advocates in representing the rights of victims. If your case doesn’t get settled, we won’t hesitate to advocate your rights in court. Our team offers free consultations to help you understand and analyze the various aspects of your case. We handle your case on a contingency fee basis, which means that we do not charge a fee unless we obtain financial recovery through verdict or settlement.

For further legal queries, call us at 334-777-6226.