ATA Expands Highway Safety Agenda

American Trucking Associations said its board of directors has voted to expand ATA’s safety agenda with the goal of further reducing the number of highway-related fatalities.

Meeting in conjunction with its annual Management Conference & Exhibition in New Orleans, the board voted Tuesday to adopt 18 recommendations made by ATA’s safety task force, which was established earlier this year.

The new safety policies adopted are designed to result in improved driver performance for both commercial and non-commercial drivers, safer vehicles and safer motor carriers, ATA said. The efforts will compliment its recent initiative designed to result in a sustainable and environmentally responsible trucking industry.

The efforts include, in the category of improving driver performance:

• Setting a policy on the use of non-integrated technologies while the vehicle is in motion;
• Setting a policy supporting uniform commercial drivers license (CDL) testing standards;
• Support for a CDL graduated licensing study;
• Support for additional parking facilities for trucks;
• Support for a national maximum 65mph speed limit;
• Strategies to increase the use of seat belts;
• Support for a national car-truck driver behavior improvement program;
• Support for increased use of red light cameras and automated speed enforcement;
• Support for graduated licensing in all states for non-commercial teen drivers;
• Support for more stringent laws to reduce drinking and driving;

In the area of safer vehicles, it calls for:
• Support for targeted electronic speed governing of certain non-commercial vehicles;
• Electronic speed governing of all large trucks made since 1992; and
• Support for new large truck crashworthiness standards

For safer motor carriers, the policy calls for:
• Support for a national employer notification system;
• Creation of a national clearinghouse for positive drug and alcohol test results of CDL holders;
• Support for a national registry of certified medical examiners;
Policy supporting access to the national Driver Information Resource; and
Support for required safety training by new entrant motor carriers.