Semi Truck Bumper Cam

I was driving home from Reno once, and on the other side of the freeway, a semi truck was on its side, blocking traffic across three lanes. My first thought is that the poor truck driver is going to be unemployed right after this. Maybe he didn't get fired, or maybe he should have, which depends on the circumstances which precipitated the accident.

I believe that most truck accidents are caused by cars. Since trucks start and stop more slowly than smaller vehicles, the leave a large space in front of them, which is much too tempting for people in cars. Frequently, cars dart in front of trucks, and then realize the room isn't as big as they thought. So, they brake, and the comfortable space that was in front of the truck is now an emergency stop for the truck driver. I suspect most major truck accidents are caused this way.

This would be a simple invention. It would be like the black box on a plane, nore or less. A small camera would be mounted on the front of the truck, which would be pointed forward, and close to license-plate level. It would be connected to a DVR which would be mounted further back in the truck, to prevent destruction in case of a collision. The DVR would store a loop of video data maybe two hours long, overwriting the oldest data as the disk became full. It would record a format that is industry-standard, like MP4, so that any agency could access it with a laptop on the scene.

If someone pulls in front of a truck, leading to a catastrophe, they are able to continue on, since the accident happened behind them. There would be no implication for stopping, so they would just keep going. This Truck Bumper Cam would have a video record of them pulling into the lane in front of the truck. This could help save a few truckers' jobs, and could also help deter people from unexpectedly cutting in front of trucks. Maybe their insurance could help pay for the cleanup.

Well, there you have it. A simple invention for anyone that wants it. If you make one, drop me a line to feedback@nerdsinthewood.com, and let me know so I can tell people my idea worked. If you feel generous or grateful, I will accept any amount of money you want to give me. Ten percent would be fine.