About Us
Road Safe America Timeline
Significant Milestones in Road Safe America History
2002
December 1
- Cullum Owings, on his way back to school after Thanksgiving break, is killed when his car – stopped in an interstate traffic jam – was crushed from behind by a heavy commercial truck going 7 mph over the posted speed limit on cruise control.
2003
July 11
- Concerned Americans Advocating Roadway Safety (CAAIRS), the precursor to Road Safe America (RSA) is founded by Steve and Susan Owings
December
- CAAIRS distributes first fundraising solicitation in response to and as a result of outpouring concern and offers to help our effort
2004
January
- Cullum’s Law, an effort launched in Georgia, gets significant news coverage across the state
April
- First Board Meeting
- CAAIRS established as a 501c3
July
- First D.C. trip made by the Owings
September
- Mission statement finalized - To reduce collisions between heavy commercial trucks and passenger vehicles by effecting change to improve safety on US highways
November
- Name officially changed to Road Safe America
December
- Road Safe America brochure created for distribution and to be used as an educational tool
2005
February
- Road Safe America launches national focus – Owings meet Senate and US DOT officials in D.C.
April
- Media packet distributed to obtain national media coverage for Road Safe America
- Website updated with driving strategies for sharing the road with large trucks
May
- Board members travel to other states to visit with trucking companies and build relationships with them.
- Idea surfaces for looking into a requirement in the industry for trucks to have speed governing devices set at 65 mph
July
- Road Safe America produces a video for distribution, Steve and Susan are interviewed by WGST
November 27
- The Sunday after Thanksgiving, annually the busiest traffic day of the year, is coined Drive Safer Sunday (DSS) by Road Safe America and recognized by the Governor of Georgia, and the U.S. Senate. It has been recognized annually by those two entities every year since.
- Associated Press story on Drive Safer Sunday runs broadly (even overseas)
2006
February
- The American Trucking Association (ATA) changes its position on speed governors, calling for them to be ‘hard set’ on all newly manufactured trucks at 68 mph.
March
- Road Safe America’s Board creates sub-committees: Finance, Communications, Advocacy, Research, Membership, and Executive
September
- RSA partners with a local attorney, Clay Porter, to write and file a petition with the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to require the use of speed governors at 68 mph (NOTE: we filed at 68 mph to get ATA’s support). RSA works to identify trucking companies who would be willing to co-file the petition with us.
October 10
- ATA petitions US DOT to limit the maximum speed of new large trucks at the time of manufacture to no more than 68 mph.
November
- 2nd annual DSS campaign, RSA receives widespread media attention, including TV, radio, and print
2007
January
- US DOT requests comments on the petition. The comment period will last from 1/26/07 – 3/27/07. Road Safe America immediately launches a campaign to educate the public to comment through email, print advertising (full-page ad in USA Today), satellite tour, press releases, and direct mail. The Owings appear on The Today Show, MSNBC, and numerous local morning TV shows across the country.
March
- All comments are reviewed by RSA. Our petition received 3,827 comments, the third most in department history, 2,808 of which were in favor of the petition – about 75%
May
- Steve Owings is appointed to the Motor Carrier Safety Advisory Committee to the FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration)
June
- First Road Safe America newsletter mailed
August
- Accept offer from GMAC Insurance to sponsor Drive Safer Sunday 2007
October
- Microsite – www.drivesafersunday.org launched, full page ad taken in USA Today promoting Drive Safer Sunday, DSS also promoted in movie theatre ads and radio spots nationally
November
- Media tour for DSS in New York
2008
June
- RSA marks its 5-year anniversary.
July
- Steve Owings is re-appointed to the congressional advisory committee of FMCSA (Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration)
- Steve Owings speaks at the National Press Club in D.C.
October 13
- The American Trucking Association changes their position on speed governors to align with RSA’s both on speed, from 68 to 65 miles per hour, and application, from just new trucks to all trucks manufactured since 1992.
October 29
- First Advisory Board Meeting
2009
March
- Road Safe America hires Executive Director Tom Hodgson
July
- Northwestern Mutual Financial Network honors Steve Owings with the top prize for philanthropic agents for his efforts with Road Safe America