Video Monitors Could Help Reduce Truck Accident Fatalities
As a commuter from Naperville, a Chicago resident who regularly navigates the Loop, or a visitor arriving at O’Hare and traveling to the city on the Kennedy Expressway, you may be all too aware of the dangers posed by large trucks on the crowded streets of Chicago.
What if there was a way to save more than 800 lives a year, prevent 39,000 injuries, and eliminate about 35 percent of truck crashes caused by truckers?
What if There Was a Way to Keep Us All Safer?
New research from the Virginia Tech Transportation Institute found that installing video monitors on large trucks and buses could help significantly reduce the number of accidents caused by truckers. The idea is that the video monitor would capture the behavior of the trucker. If the trucker’s behavior was seen as risky by the safety managers who analyzed it, the trucker would receive training or coaching, as needed, to help change the behavior. It is estimated that the video monitors would cost $50-$75 per month per vehicle.
Not Everyone Agrees With This Idea
A representative of the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association does not believe that video monitors would make much of a difference. He allegedly argues that the monitors do not capture all of the relevant information and that safety training should occur before a driver goes out on the road.
Have you, or someone you loved, been hurt in a Chicago-area truck crash? Do you support the idea of video monitors? We’d love to hear your thoughts. Please leave a comment on this blog and let us know what you think.
