Large trucks equipped with forward collision warning and automatic emergency braking (AEB) systems could eliminate more than 40% of rear-end collisions, according to a new study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) examined crash data per vehicle mile traveled from 62 carriers operating trailers and other trucks weighing at least 33,000 pounds. It found that trucks equipped with the forward collision warning system were involved in 22 percent fewer accidents, and that trucks equipped with the AEB system were involved in 12 percent fewer accidents than those without either technology.
Forward collision prevention systems use cameras, radar or sensors to monitor the road ahead. Some include a forward collision warning system only, which alerts the driver to obstacles on the road. AEB systems automatically apply the brakes to prevent or reduce the severity of a collision.
“The potential benefits are significant enough that these collision avoidance systems will be standard equipment on all new large trucks,” said IIHS President David Harkey.
Eric Teoh, director of statistical services at IIHS, said the forward collision warning system and AEB system contributed to reducing rear-end collisions by 44% and 41%, respectively.
Truck drivers crash less often for every mile they drive. But large trucks can weigh up to 30 times the weight of a passenger vehicle. This increases the risk they pose in the event of an accident, Teoh said.
Deaths grow with the statistics of large truck accidents
Crashes involving large trucks in the United States have risen by nearly a third since reaching an all-time low in 2009. Large truck crashes killed 4,136 people in 2018, the most recent statistics available. Of those deaths, 119 were caused by rear-end large trucks.
The study covered nearly 2,000 crashes that occurred over more than 2 billion vehicle miles during 2017-2019. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) excluded crashes in which there were no injuries or significant property damage.
“This study provides evidence that forward collision warning and AEB significantly reduce the risk of collisions with tractor trailers and other large trucks,” Teoh said. “This is important information for trucking companies and drivers who are weighing the costs and benefits of these options.”
Fleet Advantage, a truck leasing and lifecycle management company, is trying to convince its customers of the benefits of safety systems.
“Our early calculations indicate that the cost of all safety equipment reduces collision repairs and produces a return on investment in about 24 months,” John Flynn, CEO of Fleet Advantage, said in an email to FreightWaves.
In addition to AEB, collision avoidance, disc brakes, lane changing and electronic stability control all work to reduce total cost of ownership (TCO) by avoiding collision repairs, Flynn said.
Automakers agree to add automatic emergency braking
The European Union has mandated AEB with forward collision warning on most new heavy trucks since November 2013. In the United States, truck or passenger car manufacturers are not required to equip vehicles with forward collision prevention devices.
However, 20 automakers representing 99 percent of the U.S. market will make AEB standard on nearly all new passenger vehicles by September 1, 2022. The IIHS and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) brokered the voluntary agreement.
The number of large trucks equipped with AEB is increasing. But there are few studies on its effectiveness in reducing accident rates. The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) study compared trucks from the same carriers equipped with a forward collision warning system alone, AEB, and no forward collision prevention system at all. AEB systems generally include forward collision warning.
SmartDrive Insights helps sort data
The institute relied on data collected by SmartDrive Systems, a video-based safety program for commercial fleets. SmartDrive identified trucks that had a forward collision warning system and AEB collected detailed information about the faults.
“The transportation information we have collected over the past 15 years provides unique and deep insights into the trucking industry,” said Jason Palmer, Chief Operating Officer of SmartDrive.
The similar benefits of AEB and forward collision warning surprised Teoh. Each technology reduced vehicle speed by approximately 50%. This reduced the force of impact and damage to the front vehicle.
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Click for more FreightWaves articles by Alan Adler.
