Increasing speed limits: Is it a solution to truck wrecks?
A speeding truck is a dangerous truck. These heavy vehicles aren’t designed to travel at high speeds. If they do, they could easily go out of control. One problem is that faster vehicles are not as easy to stop. Another issue is that a vehicle traveling quickly might be more prone to jackknifing with sudden movements or stops.
Some have asked if letting trucks drive faster could really help reduce the number of crashes on the roads. Most people believe that slower speeds make more sense. They limit how fast trucks drive to make sure they can stop safely and won’t impact vehicles with as much force as if they were traveling faster. Cutting speeds reduces emissions, too, an environmental benefit.
In the US, on most highways and roads, cars have a different maximum speed than trucks. In some areas overseas, like the United Kingdom (UK), raising the speed limit is a solution they’re willing to try if it will save lives.
In the UK, raising the speed limit is expected to reduce the number of crashes. The reasoning behind this is that trucks that travel faster will limit congestion and reduce the number of people overtaking the trucks. This means fewer people moving in and out of lanes, reducing the risk of collisions from lane-to-lane traffic.
In the US, raising the speed limits isn’t yet a reality, but if another country has success, it could happen in the future. This may be a good gauge to determine how to reduce truck accidents and to save lives in the future.