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Will autonomous trucks make the highways safer?

On Behalf of | Mar 25, 2021 | Trucking Accidents |

Much of the press around the development of autonomous vehicles has focused on small consumer cars. People wonder what it would be like to simply get in the car and ride to work without having to drive, opening up time to eat breakfast or even get an early start on answering emails. Families think about how different vacations would be if they could just program a destination and then sleep while the car drives.

These things may come to pass eventually, but the biggest change is arguably going to be in the trucking industry. These self-driving trucks are already being tested, and they may be a better way for companies to ship goods all over the country. Human drivers have restrictions regarding how many hours they can work, but self-driving vehicles would not.

They may be a better option, but how are they safer?

As a driver, though, you may not be too worried about what is best for the trucking companies. You want to know if you’ll be safer on the road with these trucks.

You certainly may be. Most accidents happen due to human error, and a self-driving truck removes that from the equation. An autonomous truck doesn’t get tired and need to sleep – or keep pushing on when it’s too tired to drive. A truck doesn’t get distracted by a text message or make a phone call while driving. A truck doesn’t drink and drive or use illegal drugs.

There are questions about how advanced the software that runs the truck would be and if that’s really safe. However, it’s clear that many known hazards would be removed. That could prevent accidents and save lives.

Right now, though, you still have to share the road with human drivers and traditional 18-wheelers. If you are injured in an accident, be sure you know how to seek financial compensation for your expenses and damages. An experienced attorney can provide valuable guidance.