The NHTSA opines that ESC systems will prevent 40-56 percent of untripped rollovers-a rollover caused by a truck being top heavy or because of the slope or curve of the road. And 14 percent of loss-of-control crashes-those trucking accidents caused by over or under-steering. The NHTSA also estimates that the technology will prevent 649 to 858 injuries and 49 to 60 fatalities that are c aused by untripped rollover accidents and loss of control crashes.

Truck companies are not on board with the mandate. The truck companies big and small are criticizing the proposed rule for its cost. To equip a truck with the ESC technology, it will cost approximately $1,160 per truck.

The carriers also criticize the mandate for its effectiveness. They opine that mandating these safety features is not going to save lives. The industry feels that it already faces extensive safety requirements, and that these additional costs will not have a significant impact on accident reduction.

Truck accidents cause serious and fatal injuries. A combination of both truck safety technology and extensive driver training is likely the best way to make America’s roadways safer.