Collision avoidance technology mandates

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Safety on busy New Jersey roads is a major concern of motorists especially with regard to commercial vehicles that can do a lot of damage in the event of an accident. Unexpected conditions or actions of drivers can result in a serious accident, but technology exists that can aid drivers minimize the potential for wrecks. In many cases, the technologies in question are available for owners to request or to add to their vehicles, but they are not included as standard equipment. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration oversees issues related to trucking safety. Statistics collected by the agency indicate that actions such as rear-end collisions, lane changes, and running off the road are major causes of accidents on highways. Technology designed to avert such accidents could be helpful in reducing the occurrence of truck accidents and other incidents. In fact, a study published in 2009 indicated that as many as 18,000 accidents could be prevented each year if vehicle collision avoidance systems were installed on trucks. The trucking industry has received a great deal of attention due to serious accidents related to driver fatigue. As standards have been implemented to regulate the activities of drivers, the area of collision avoidance technology has not been promoted as robustly. Standardizing the installation of such systems on commercial trucks might complement existing laws to prevent even more accidents while reducing the dangers to other motorists. An individual who has been injured in a trucking accident may need the assistance of a lawyer to evaluate a driver's compliance with existing laws related to driving times, logs, and other issues. Confirmation of failure to comply could add to the strength of a personal injury claim. Source: NTSB, "Mandate Motor Vehicle Collision Avoidance Technologies ", December 05, 2014