Controlling safety in the transportation industry is no small concern.

According to a study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and University of Michigan, over 4,000 injuries, 3,500 accidents and 106 fatalities could be prevented each year if stability control systems were installed on all tractor-trailers.

Stability control systems are designed to prevent vehicles from rolling over � a too-frequent problem for big rigs, especially tank trucks. While the systems are required on all new passenger vehicles, they are much less common on trucks, even though the design of a tractor-trailer makes it much more prone to rolling over. Consequently, as drivers navigate tricky turns, they often receive no signal their tractors will roll over until the accident occurs.

The University of Michigan and NHTSA believe that requiring all tractor-trailers to install stability control systems would drastically reduce the number of rollover accidents by preventing the behavior that causes them. The system is able to override the driver�s speed by gauging  the truck is driving too fast, even if the driver has their foot on the petal. The sensors, then, alert the onboard computer to apply breaks to the affected wheels until the tractor-trailer�s balance is reestablished.

The study�s findings were recently presented to the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which is hosting a two-day hearing to determine if more should be done to prevent trucks from rolling over � with a specific focus on tankers.

Because the liquid in tank trucks shifts and can upset the vehicle�s center of balance, they cause a disproportionate number of rollovers. Although they represent only 6 percent of trucks on the road, tankers are involved in 31 percent of these accidents. Additionally, because tankers typically transport flammable or dangerous cargo, such as fuel, hazmat, etc., their transportation safety is crucial.

Retrofitting a tanker with the stability control system costs approximately $1200, whereas the technology contributes less than $1000 to the price of a new vehicle.

Considering the thousands of injuries and scores of deaths these devices could prevent each year, stability control systems seem well worth the cost.

But what do you think:

Should all trucks be required to have a stability control system?

If the government mandates this technology be used, who should absorb the costs for retrofitting?