The National Traffic Safety Board (NTSB) Chair Jennifer Homendy released the following statement in response to the notice of proposed rulemaking recently announced by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) that many new heavy vehicles above 10,000 pounds would be required to have forward collision avoidance systems, which includes forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking and electronic stability control systems:

“Decades of NTSB investigations have made clear that collision avoidance systems on heavy vehicles will saves lives and are a critical piece of the Safe System approach to road safety. Stability control systems are an important component for these collision avoidance systems and also help prevent loss of control and rollovers. We applaud NHTSA and FMCSA on taking this important step to prioritize the safety of heavy vehicles and stop the public health crisis on our roads.” 

The NTSB first recommended collision avoidance technology, specifically forward collision warning, as a solution to crash avoidance in 1995. Requiring collision avoidance technology on all vehicles has been on the NTSB’s Most Wanted List of Transportation Safety Improvements since 2021. This proposed rule addresses forward collision warning, automatic emergency braking and electronic stability control systems for many new heavy vehicles above 10,000 pounds, which are the focus of numerous NTSB recommendations. The proposed rule would also ensure that these systems are inspected, maintained and functional, an aspect highlighted in the NTSB’s recent investigative report on the Mt. Pleasant Township, Pa., crash. The NTSB will continue to evaluate this proposed rule including how it can address the safety of vulnerable road users like pedestrians, bicyclists and motorcyclists.

The NTSB plans to submit comments on the proposed rulemaking.