Ohio roadways are among the busiest in the nation, with the high number of motor vehicle accidents that routinely occur being a strong testament to that fact. Commercial truck accidents are of particular concern, given the severity and comparatively high incidence of death that accompanies them.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ("NHTSA") has long been focused on both the dangers inherent in commercial trucking and safety measures that ameliorate trucking injuries and fatalities. In a study it has just conducted with University of Michigan researchers, the agency examined a stability control system that it describes as "a really powerful technology" for reducing truck accidents, especially rollover incidents.

Owing to cargo weight shifting, rollover accidents are an especially common occurrence with commercial trucks. They also comprise a niche of special concern for the NHTSA where tank trucks are involved, since those vehicles often carry hazardous loads. The agency cites statistics indicating that tank trucks account for 31 percent of fatal truck rollover crashes, although they represent only about six percent of all large trucks on state and national roadways.

The stability system touted by the NHTSA has been operative in many tractor trailer trucks for a number of years, but it has never been made a requirement on commercial trucks. The NHTSA hopes it will be after final testing results are finished later this year. The costs of installing the system are generally between $1,000 and $1,200, depending on whether it is put into a new vehicle or retrofitted into an existing rig.

Related Resource: www.kansas.com "NHTSA: New technology can prevent truck rollovers" August 3, 2010