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Commercial truck speed limiter bill gaining traction

On Behalf of | Jun 1, 2021 | Truck Accidents |

All motorists who speed in Georgia pose a threat to you and everyone else on the road. Yet, when those speeding are also sitting behind the wheel of large commercial trucks, they become even more of a highway hazard. Safety advocates have long argued that there is a need to limit speeds of semitrucks, and legislators have introduced a bill that would limit how fast commercial trucks may travel.

Per Fleet Owner, the proposed bill would limit trucks that weigh more than 26,0001 pounds from traveling faster than 65 mph, regardless of what speed limits are in the areas they drive. Dubbed the Cullum Owings Large Truck Safe Operating Speed Act of 2019, the bill has the backing of numerous safety boards and organizations, including AAA and the Institute for Safer Trucking, among others.

Arguments in favor of the bill

Proponents of the bill argue that there is no genuine need for semitrucks to travel at speeds above 65 mph, and that when they do, the chances of a truck crash increase. They also note that most trucks built after the 1990s already have the technology needed to limit speeds to 65 mph.

Arguments in opposition to the bill

While mandating that trucks drive at slower speeds may enhance safety for motorists and passengers traveling in passenger vehicles, some oppose the bill. Some who do argue that it creates additional dangers by creating a speed differential between semitrucks and all other vehicles traveling in areas with high-speed limits.

Speed limiter legislation has a long history in trucking, with some organizations asking to limit how fast commercial trucks may travel since 2006. Whether this proposed bill is going to pass is not yet known.

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