Self-driving trucks: what does the future look like?

The (latest) future of self-driving trucks

As autonomous vehicles are increasingly produced, a more daring venture on the horizon is the advent of self-driving trucks. News of these developments started several years ago – what progress has the industry made since then? And, what kind of impact could self-driving trucks have on road and driver safety, as well as potential legal ramifications?

Today, autonomous driving technology is one of the most discussed new developments on the horizon.  Over the past five years, many companies have been developing self-driving technology both for cars and for long-haul trucks. Our truck accident lawyer takes a look at self-driving vehicles and what they could mean for the future of transit, road safety, traffic incidents and indeed the wider economy.

What is “autonomy”?

Before we go any further, it is important to demonstrate exactly what is meant by “autonomy.”

The industry has adopted the following levels of increasing technological complexity, […]

Truck crash on I-81 claims two lives

Yesterday, a tractor trailer crash on Interstate 81 killed two people and seriously injured two others.

A family from Canada was traveling on I-81 northbound in Scott Township near the Fleetville exit.  They were stopped in traffic when they were rear-ended by a tractor trailer operated by JVM Transport. The truck crash killed the 45-year-old father and 10-year-old son; the mother and daughter were taken to the hospital in Lackawanna County. The driver of another tractor trailer that had been stopped in traffic was also taken to the hospital.

Via WNEP: “According to investigators, the big rig did not stop in time and hit the car which was stopped in traffic from an earlier crash.” 

Dan Munley, former chair of the American Association for Justice (AAJ) Trucking Litigation Group, states that  “we have handled other cases in our area where a tractor trailer failed to stop in traffic and either killed or seriously injured another driver. […]

Truck driver shortage raises safety questions

Why is there a truck driver shortage?

The trucking industry is in need of truck drivers. The shortage of truck drivers in the past 15 years has been a burden on the trucking industry.  The shortage of drivers has seen delayed deliveries, and higher prices on goods all over the U.S.  According to the American Trucking Association, more than 70 percent of goods are moved by the trucking industry, and more than 900,000 new truckers are needed to pick up delivery demands.  The shortage of truckers has forced some major retailers to pay higher prices on shipments so that they may arrive on time.

This desperate time has lead the trucking industry to increase pay for truckers by 15 percent just to attract new entrants in the industry.  They are also offering sign-on bonuses to new truckers, and major pay raises.  […]

Family of Marine killed in truck crash receives $8M settlement

Representing the Stevens family has been one of the greatest honors of our careers. It has been our privilege to advocate on their behalf and bring this case to a just resolution.  Read more about the case below.

On Monday, the truck accident lawyers at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys reached an $8 million settlement in a case stemming from a deadly truck accident in Susquehanna County. The crash claimed the life of 27-year-old Staff Sergeant Andrew Stevens.  Stevens was an active duty Marine and the father of two young boys. He served multiple tours in Iraq and Afghanistan and was in town for his sister’s wedding. His wife Katherine Stevens was represented by Marion Munley, Robert W. Munley, III, and Caroline Munley. The case was scheduled for trial this week before the Honorable John Jones of the United States District Court for the Middle District of Pennsylvania. […]

Truck Accident Lawyers, Local Officials Say No to Bigger Trucks

Bigger Trucks Threaten Public Safety and Infrastructure

“Bigger Trucks: Bad For America’s Local Communities,” a letter written by over 1,000 local government leaders, was presented to Congressional Capitol Hill offices on February 22, 2018.  The letter, signed by mayors, local engineers and public works employees, argues that “Longer and heavier trucks would cause significantly more damage to our transportation infrastructure, costing us billions of dollars that local government budgets simply cannot afford, compromising the very routes that American motorists use every day.” Currently, federal limits are 80,000 pounds in gross vehicle weight.  Notably, some states allow heavier trucks on roads that are not a part of the interstate system.

According to the Washington Post, one 40-ton truck can do as much damage to a road as 9,600 cars.  And the Coalition Against Bigger Trucks cites a US Department of Transportation study stating that increasing truck weight to 91,000 pounds  “would negatively affect more than 4,800 bridges, […]