I
107TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 2083
To amend titles 23 and 49, United States Code, relating to motor vehicle
weight and width limitations.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JUNE 6, 2001
Mr. PAUL introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee
on Transportation and Infrastructure
A BILL
To amend titles 23 and 49, United States Code, relating
to motor vehicle weight and width limitations.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ‘‘Safer Truck Act’’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) Heavy trucks carrying up to 20 metric tons
of cargo on the National Highway System are not
equipped with modern safety features presently
found on cars. These features include disc brakes,
crash absorbent bumpers, sway bars, roll bars, and
underride beams.
(2) Trucking is the deadliest industry in the
United States. One in every 7 Americans killed on
the job is a trucker (879 out of the 6,026 workplace
deaths in 1998). In 1999, 758 truckers were killed
in truck crashes alone, which was a 10-year high.
4,170 motorists and 434 pedestrians were also killed
in collisions with heavy trucks during 1999, a total
of 5,362 preventable deaths. Of the 142,000 people
injured by commercial trucks in 1999, 33,000 were
truckers. Over 140,000 people, including more than
23,000 truckers, have been killed in preventable
large-truck crashes since the end of the Vietnam
War along with 3,000,000 injured. While some
modification to roads and bridges may be necessary
to accommodate safer trucks, the cost is insignifi-
cant compared to the savings that will accrue from
reducing this high rate of death and injury.
(3) Truckers and other highway professionals
have the right to operate safer trucks and busses on
the National Highway System that are maneuverable
enough to avoid collisions without unnecessary Fed-
eral interference.
SEC. 3. VEHICLE WEIGHT LIMITATIONS.
Section 127 of title 23, United States Code, is
amended by adding at the end the following:
‘‘(h) EXCEPTION.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Notwithstanding subsection
(a), a State may allow a single unit truck or bus
without a trailer to carry up to 20 metric tons or
44,080 pounds of cargo, packaging, and load secure-
ment materials regardless of the overall weight of
the vehicle, its axle weights, or the weight of its
safety and energy conservation devices if the cargo
is evenly distributed in a compartment or combined
compartments at least 40 feet long, the overall
height of the vehicle and cargo does not exceed the
width of the wheelbase, the axles are positioned at
the extreme ends of the vehicle, the gross weight and
certified empty weight of the vehicle (including de-
tachable cargo compartments) are marked conspicu-
ously on the front of the vehicle in contrasting 3-
inch or taller letters and numbers.
‘‘(2) CALCULATION
OF
GROSS
WEIGHT.—For
purposes of this subsection, the gross weight shall be
calculated by adding 20 metric tons or 44,080
pounds to the empty weight.’’.
SEC. 4. VEHICLE WIDTH LIMITATIONS.
Section 31113(b) of title 49, United States Code, is
amended to read as follows:
‘‘(b) EXCLUSION
OF SAFETY
AND ENERGY CON-
SERVATION DEVICES.—
‘‘(1) ENERGY CONSERVATION DEVICES.—Width
calculated under this section does not include an en-
ergy conservation device the Secretary decides is
necessary for safe and efficient operation of a com-
mercial motor vehicle.
‘‘(2) SAFETY DEVICES.—
‘‘(A) IN GENERAL.—A safety device that
reduces the possibility of death and injury shall
not be included in the calculation of width for
purposes of this section if such device fits en-
tirely within the legal travel lanes of all roads
upon which the vehicle operates.
‘‘(B) SAFETY DEVICE DEFINED.—In this
subsection, the term ‘safety device’ includes
mirrors, grabhandles, steps, rearview video cam-
eras, crash absorbent bumpers and body panels,
batteries for regenerative braking, wheels, tires,
structural members, and drivetrain components
positioned to enhance vehicle stability.’’.
Æ