Speed-Limiter Rule: Safety or Concern?
The comment period for the proposed speed-limiter rule concludes on Wednesday, December 7. Passing the speed-limiter rule would “require all newly manufactured U.S. trucks, buses, and multipurpose passenger vehicles with GVWR over 26,000 pounds to be equipped with speed-limiting devices. Motor carriers would be responsible for maintaining the speed limiters at or below the designated speed for the service life of the vehicles.” The discussed speed limits in question are 60, 65 and 68. While the speed-limiter rule is up for discussion based on safety concerns related to trucking accidents, many truckers and trucking industry professionals are concerned that this mandate will “create more unsafe driving conditions.”
There have been 5,800 comments filed in regards to the proposed speed-limiter rule, the majority of them opposed to the mandate. In fact, “Chris Spear, president and CEO of the American Trucking Associations, slammed the rule during an Oct. 4 press conference. ‘The various differentials in speed from what this rule proposes and what state speed limits are is dangerous,’ he said.” Additionally, the speed-limiter rule doesn’t address situations where potential speed-limited trucks have to pass one another on highways, which could create unsafe driving conditions for impatient drivers.
Speed-Limiter Rule Proposed to Keep Drivers Safe
On the other hand, this potential rule did stem from a place with safety in mind. Fourteen years ago “Cullum Owings of Georgia was sitting in a Thanksgiving weekend traffic jam when a tractor-trailer on cruise control came speeding from behind — crushing him to death.” This horrific incident prompted Cullum’s parents start “Road Safe America,” an organization that works to make highways safer. Their latest push – “Road Safe America wants the proposed rule extended to existing trucks.” Currently the speed-limiter rule, if passed, will only apply to newly manufactured trucks.
This proposed regulation is just one facet of public safety and keeping the roads safe for all motorists is the ultimate goal. We believe in maintaining public safety and that is why SRS is committed to providing you with the most up-to-date information regarding DOT regulatory changes, including those related to mandated substance abuse and psychological evaluations. If you, or someone you know, has failed a drug test and must go through the return-to-duty process to get back to work fast, visit our FastTrack Enrollment page.