Recently, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) authorized an increase in windshield areas for commercial vehicles. The FMCSA’s new rule expanding windshield areas in commercial vehicles will take effect May 6, 2022. The increased windshield areas will hopefully help decrease the number of truck accidents plaguing our roadways. The frequency of truck accidents has been headed in the wrong direction for some time:
- According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), nearly 5,000 people die annually in truck crashes in the U.S.
- There was also a 31 percent increase in truck accident deaths from 2011 to 2020, according to the Institute for Safer Trucking.
- The Institute for Safer Trucking also reports that in 2020, 26 percent of fatal work zone crashes in the U.S. involved at least one large truck. In addition, in 2020, 43 percent of fatal work zone crashes in Illinois involved at least one large truck.
How the Current Size of Windshield Areas Has Contributed to Truck Accidents
The current size of windshield areas in commercial vehicles is not as beneficial to safety as the proposed increased windshield area size will be. At present, windshield areas in tractor-trailer trucks and other types of commercial vehicles limit the ability of truckers and other types of commercial vehicle drivers from operating their vehicles as safely as possible.
Anytime you are driving a large vehicle, the size of the windshield area is very important, because of its impact on the driver’s ability to see what’s going on around them on the road. The more a driver can see, the better prepared they will be to react quickly to obstacles in the road, changes in traffic flow and traffic patterns, and any other issues that could lead to wrecks. In addition, the less windshield area available in a vehicle, the less room there is for dashboard safety features, like driver camera systems and attention assist warning systems.
How Increasing the Size of Windshield Areas Can Help Prevent Truck Accidents
Adding more windshield area in trucks will help improve truck driver safety and prevent truck accidents. The benefits of increasing the size windshield areas in large trucks includes the following:
- Increasing the size of windshield areas in large trucks and other commercial motor vehicles will help improve visibility for truck drivers and other commercial vehicle operators. A larger windshield area can help truck drivers see more of the road and have a better idea where other vehicles they’re sharing the road with are in relation to their truck. This will help truckers avoid collisions with other vehicles and see hazards on the road that might have escaped their view in the past.
- A larger windshield area will allow more room for safety devices. There are a wide range of safety devices designed to help truck drivers avoid wrecks, but there is only so much room in a truck’s cab. Increasing the size of a truck’s windshield area will make more room for additional trucking safety features, such as GPS equipment, braking warning systems, driver camera systems, traffic sign recognition systems, braking assist systems, and attention assist warning systems. Many of these devices contain sensors, lidar, radar, and cameras that require access to the windshield to work effectively.
Schedule a Free Consultation with an Experienced Truck Accident Attorney
At Turner Law Group, our truck accident lawyers have been fighting for the rights of truck crash victims and their families for over 40 years. As a smaller law firm, we can devote ourselves 100 percent to each of our clients’ cases. In addition, our attorneys are able to collaborate one-on-one with our clients from day one until their cases are concluded.
We know how high the stakes are for truck accident victims and their families. In the wake of a truck accident, many victims are left struggling with a mountain of medical expenses, severe injuries, and loss of income due to a physical inability to work. They don’t have time to waste, but they are also in no position to fight back against trucking companies and their insurance providers. As our case results prove, we know how to take on trucking companies and their insurers and win. We can take on that burden while our clients concentrate on recovering from their injuries.
For more information about our personal injury law firm, check out our client reviews. To set up a free, no-obligation consultation with our legal team, call us at (800) 653-0198 or reach out to us online. We can travel to meet with injured clients.