The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are considering adding speed-limiting devices to trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles. The devices would monitor the speed of large vehicles and prevent them from traveling above a predetermined speed. The NHTSA estimates that lowering large-vehicle speeds in this way will save between 27 and 500 lives every year. The NHTSA predicts that these limiters will save more than $1 billion in fuel costs. Regulators see this as a huge benefit for the environment and the economy. The proposed regulation would affect newly manufactured vehicles in the U.S. that weigh more than 26,000 pounds. The regulation might also apply to buses and other large passenger vehicles. Motor carriers that use commercial vehicles would be responsible for maintaining the devices and making sure that they are set to the correct speed limit. The NHTSA has discussed speed limitations of 60, 65 and 68 miles per hour, but federal regulators will seek public input before deciding on a speed limit. They want to ensure that the speed will be beneficial for drivers and other people on the road.
NHTSA Proposes Speed Limiters For Trucks To Save Lives, Fuel Costs
