Sensors Credited for Reducing Wash. State Truck Crashes

Electronic sensors and enforcement are being credited as reducing the number of truck related crashes in Washington State, the Associated Press reported.

Sensors on commercial trucks display a safety record to weigh stations as they pass through, allowing Washington State Patrol to focus on problem trucks, AP said.

From 2008 to 2009 fatal crashes involving commercial vehicles dropped by 50% to 32 and dropped to 26 the next year, but climbed to 37 in 2011, AP reported 

Close to 40% of commercial trucks in the state have the credit - card sized sensor that allows them to be scanned at weigh stations, AP said.