I have not yet reintroduced this bill in the 106 th Congress. However, I plan to do so in the near future. My purpose in developing this legislation and citing the above statistics is not to criticize the trucking industry. The vast majority of trucking companies, truck manufacturers and the men and women who operate the big rigs are dedicated to highway safety. Trucks play a significant role in our daily lives.
Trucks haul raw materials to the factory and finished goods to the market.
The last mile a product travels to the consumer is almost always by truck. Yet, the facts are clear. As trucks get bigger and heavier, the margins of safety are reduced. When a truck collides with a car, the occupants of the car are at serious risk, and that risk increases with the size of the truck. Finally, heavier trucks mean greater wear on our roads and bridges, shortening their useful lives and raising costs to American taxpayers.