The time/distance relationship for a heavy truck starting from a stopped position is often needed to accurately assess the events leading up to a collision. A series of tests were conducted to document the low speed acceleration performance of a freightliner FLD-120 tractor truck. The tests included several load configurations and acceleration rates. The vehicle was instrumented with a DATRON speed sensor, and the engine RPM was also documented. This paper presents data from these tests, and discusses low speed acceleration profiles of heavy trucks. (A)
Abstract