CRASH Board of Directors Petitions Federal Government for a Strong National Truck Safety Inspection and Stickering Policy

25 February 1998

CRASH Board of Directors Petitions Federal Government for a Strong National Truck Safety Inspection and Stickering Policy


    SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 25 -- The following was issued by CRASH
today:

                            CRASH Board Resolution

    WHEREAS, 5,126 people died in truck-related crashes in 1996, including
615 truck drivers; and
    WHEREAS, 130,000 people were injured in truck related crashes in 1996; and
    WHEREAS, In collisions between a passenger car and a heavy truck in 1996,
98 percent of the fatalities were in passenger cars; and
    WHEREAS, Large trucks are over-involved in fatal crashes by 53 percent;
and
    WHEREAS, The trucking industry consistently places productivity concerns
over issues of safety; and
    WHEREAS, The current system often forces truck drivers to choose between
running safely and making a living; and
    WHEREAS, Federal law currently requires the annual inspection of each
heavy commercial truck; and
    WHEREAS, Too many truck related crashes are caused by heavy commercial
trucks out of current inspection; and
    WHEREAS, Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways' mission is to put a stop
to the plague of physical, emotional and financial trauma caused by dangerous
trucking operations; and
    WHEREAS, Reauthorization of the Intermodal Surface Transportation
Efficiency Act of 1991 offers the greatest opportunity to strengthen uniform
national truck safety standards;
    THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT:  CRASH's Board of Directors urges the
President and the Congress of the United States to adopt within the
reauthorization of the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act of
1991, a set of uniform national standards for truck safety inspections,
including a program for uniform national stickering of inspected trucks; be it
further
    RESOLVED THAT:  copies of this resolution be transmitted to the President
of the United States, to the Secretary of the Department of Transportation, to
the Leaders of the Senate and the House of Representatives, and to each
Senator and Representative in the Congress of the United States.

    CRASH, a nationwide, non profit, grassroots organization with
43,000+  members works to make the highways safer for all motorists including
truck drivers.  To join their efforts to reduce truck crash deaths and
injuries 35 percent by the year 2005, call 415-777-3942.  Or visit the CRASH
website at http://www.trucksafety.org.

SOURCE  CRASH