NHTSA Recommends New Rule To Prevent Truck and Bus Rollover Accidents

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has proposed a new federal safety standard that would require electronic stability control (ESC) systems on commercial motor vehicles such as large trucks, buses and motor coaches.

According to the NHTSA, ESC technology is one of the best tools that can be used to prevent rollover crashes – the deadliest among all types of wrecks. Agency data suggests it could prevent up to 56 percent of rollover accidents each year and another 14 percent of loss-of-control crashes.

Stability control systems consist of sensors that monitor a vehicle’s movement and steering. It can help prevent rollovers through automatic computer-controlled braking and by addressing problems with over-steering and under-steering, both of which can cause drivers to lose control. It can improve vehicle control on icy roads or when skidding, as well as help drivers swerve more safely to avoid an obstacle.  

If the proposed rule is adopted, NHTSA estimates ESC could prevent up to 2,329 crashes, eliminate an estimated 649 to 858 injuries, and prevent between 49 and 60 fatalities a year.

In a news release, NHTSA administrator David Strickland said ESC technology has already been shown to improve vehicle safety. Stability systems have been available in many cars and trucks for some time. However, ESC is mandatory on all passenger cars and light trucks starting with model year 2012.

Truck accidents and bus crashes frequently result in some of the worst injuries. The massive size of a commercial motor vehicle compared to a standard passenger car puts motorists in serious danger of catastrophic injuries when a collision occurs. Transportation data shows that more than 75 percent of the fatalities in large truck accidents in 2010 were occupants of the other vehicle, not the truck itself.

Although stability control systems obviously cannot prevent all accidents from occurring, mandating a technology that can help save lives is certainly a step in the right direction. Trucks cover hundreds of thousands of vehicle miles on America’s roads each year, and buses and motor coaches are an increasingly common mode of transportation for families, students and church groups nationwide.

The proposed rule will be published in the Federal Register for 90 days. Members of the public can comment on the proposal, and NHTSA is firming up plans for a public hearing for more input.