The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), has released a new report, September 3, 2020, which found that:
“Equipping large trucks with forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems could eliminate more than 2 out of 5 crashes in which a large truck rear-ends another vehicle . . . ”
“IIHS Director of Statistical Services Eric Teoh examined data on crashes per vehicle mile traveled from 62 carriers operating tractor-trailers and other trucks weighing at least 33,000 pounds. He found that trucks equipped with forward collision warning had 22 percent fewer crashes and trucks with AEB had 12 percent fewer crashes than those without either technology. Forward collision warning and AEB reduced rear-end crashes —the specific type of collision they’re designed to prevent —by 44 and 41 percent, respectively.”
This technology, which can dramatically reduce rear end crashes and save lives, has been available as an option on new trucks/tractors since at least 2015. The National Highway Transportation Safety Agency NHTSA, recommended such technology in 2014. J.J. Keller stated in 2017 that researchers recommend “install now”.
Should AEB have been standard equipment on all large trucks and tractors for the past several years? Shouldn't any new tractor that has been sold within the past few years without this crucial and proven technology be considered defectively dangerous?