Automatic emergency braking, a safety feature that can apply the brakes for drivers in times of emergency, may become mandatory on all new commercial motor vehicles. Truckers in North Carolina should know that a bill, H.R. 3773, was introduced on July 16 and would mandate AEB use if passed. It is called the Safe Roads Act of 2019.

This development came just as representatives of the Truck Safety Coalition arrived in the nation’s capital to push for stricter CMV safety measures. The coalition is also pushing for mandatory speed limiter use and the mandatory installation of under-ride guards on the sides and front of commercial trucks.

An AEB system costs around $500 and has been shown to save lives. However, it should be noted that a similar bill to the Safe Roads Act was proposed back in 2015 but failed to pass.

Two of the three lawmakers who introduced the Safe Roads Act have proposed a bill called the INSURANCE Act at the behest of the Truck Safety Coalition. This bill has to do with motor carriers’ minimum insurance requirements and would mandate that these be adjusted from time to time in light of the inflation rate of medical costs.

AEB, speed limiters and under-ride guards can all do a lot to reduce accident numbers. Still, there is always trucker negligence to contend with. Those who feel they have a valid truck accident case may want to see a personal injury lawyer. This state adheres to the rule of contributory negligence, which means victims cannot recover damages if they were even 1% to blame for a crash, so it’s important to have a strong case. A lawyer might hire investigators to gather proof of the trucker’s negligence before heading off to settlement negotiations.