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Truck Carriers and Manufacturers Go to Washington DC to Push for Larger Trucks

By Jack Lebowitz, Esq. and Vadim Mzhen, Esq.

About 30 truck carriers, manufacturers, and shippers are in Washington D.C. this week. They are trying to persuade the US Congress to adopt a ?Demonstration Project? that would allow larger trucks to operate in certain U.S. states.

The coalition of truck companies believes that the US is at a competitive disadvantage because larger trucks are allowed in Mexico and Canada. They want to give certain ports in the US the option of handling larger truck containers. They claim that allowing larger trucks weighing as much as 100,000 pounds to operate on US roads would decrease the number of trucks because less vehicles would be able to haul more freight.

On Wednesday, truck crash victims, a number of US Congress members, and several truck safety groups, including the Parents Against Tired Truckers, the Truck Safety Coalition, Public Citizen, and Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety held a press conference to speak out against allowing larger trucks on any US roads.

Speaking at the conference, Public Citizen President Joan Claybrook pointed to evidence that the larger the trucks have become, the more dangerous they?ve become to motorists and pedestrians.

2006 Statistics:

? 5,000 people died in truck accidents
? 106,000 others were injured
? 98% of truck-related deaths involve occupants of other vehicles.
? Large trucks wreak far more damage to roads and bridges than regular vehicles

She also pointed out that every time the federal government has allowed larger trucks onto US roads, the number of trucks have not decreased.

If you or someone you love was seriously injured in a truck crash in Maryland or Washington D.C., contact our trucking accident law firm today.

Trucking-shipper group lobbies for larger trucks, Todaystruckingcompany.com, May 15, 2008

Larger Trucks Will Lead to More Deaths, Damage to Roads, Bridges; Risks, Costs Far Outweigh Claimed Productivity, Common Dreams, May 14, 2008

Related Web Resources:

New National Poll Shows Americans Dislike Larger, Heavier Trucks on U.S. Highways, Common Dreams, May 14, 2008

Contact Lebowitz & Mzhen for our free case evaluation with an experienced truck crash attorney.

Full post as published by Maryland Accident Law Blog on May 16, 2008 (boomark / email).