Safety systems already standard in passenger cars will be required on large trucks and buses under a proposed federal regulation. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration wants manufacturers to install electronic stability control systems in all new trucks and buses.
Computer-controlled brakes can reduce the number of fatal trucking accidents, as well as tragic bus and motorcoach rollovers. Commercial vehicles sit higher off the road and are thus more prone to topple to one side or rollover during an accident caused by driver error.
The new braking system is now standard on all 2012 model passenger vehicles. It works by automatically applying brake pressure on individual wheels to keep the vehicle stable. On slick or icy roads the system helps a driver maintain control by countering over-steering or under-steering.
