The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) is taking a closer look at how well traditional roadside warning devices—like triangles, flares, and fuses—actually prevent crashes involving stopped or disabled commercial trucks.
The agency announced plans to recruit 256 drivers for a new research project titled “Warning Devices for Stopped Commercial Motor Vehicles.” The study will evaluate whether these warning tools truly help motorists detect and avoid parked or disabled trucks, and if newer technologies could perform better.
Why the Study Matters
Current FMCSA rules require truck drivers to place specific warning devices at set distances depending on road and traffic conditions. These requirements date back to the 1980s—long before modern autonomous or semi-autonomous trucks entered the picture.
With automated driving systems (ADS) on the rise, the challenge is clear: Who deploys warning devices when there’s no driver in the cab?
Autonomous Truck Challenge
Recently, autonomous trucking companies Waymo LLC and Aurora Operations asked FMCSA for permission to use cab-mounted, remotely activated beacons instead of ground-based triangles or flares. FMCSA denied the request, citing limited safety data on the effectiveness of these alternatives.
In its latest notice, the agency admitted that past research on traditional warning devices has been inconclusive. The upcoming study aims to fill that gap using GPS tracking and eye-tracking technology to see how quickly passing motorists notice warning signals during controlled experiments.
What’s Next
Results from the study could shape future safety regulations and open the door for new types of warning devices designed for both human-driven and driverless trucks.
As FMCSA put it, “the responsibility to answer these questions definitively is best charged to FMCSA.”
Why It Matters to Trucking Safety & Insurance
For fleets and owner-operators, this research could have real-world implications. The type of warning device used—and how effectively it alerts other drivers—can directly influence accident frequency, roadside liability, and insurance claims exposure. As technology evolves, so will the safety standards that affect compliance, coverage, and risk management for trucking companies.
Source: Freightwaves Magazine, author: John Gallagher
