Founders’ Letter - Fall 2020

Dear Friends,

In these unprecedented times, with many of us working from home, truck drivers are still out there working hard to ensure the shelves are stocked and our packages are delivered. While most truck drivers are doing so safely, there is a small but unsafe group of drivers who are operating at dangerously high speeds to gain a competitive advantage. Road Safe America remains committed to stopping these high-speed drivers from ruining the reputation of hard-working Americans and, more importantly, from ruining the lives of other people who are injured or killed in high-speed truck caused crashes.

In February, a number of Cullum’s friends traveled to Washington, D.C. to advocate for passage of the Cullum Owings Large Truck Safe Operating Speed Act, S.3005. This bill would ensure that trucks use their speed limiters, devices which have been built into almost all of the biggest trucks for nearly thirty years. Literally dozens of leading countries have enacted such requirements, many of which have been in place since the 1990’s. The fact that not one country has ever reversed the policy is a mighty strong testimonial that speed limiters work. Cullum’s friends were effective advocates for this common-sense and bi-partisan bill that, if passed, would really make a difference on our roads. We are extremely thankful to them for volunteering to help us improve truck safety.

Since their visit, Road Safe America has continued to work with a growing coalition of national organizations to urge the Senate to include the language in S.3005, which matches the American Trucking Associations’ policy on speed limiters, in their broad infrastructure bill. These organizations include trucking groups, like the Trucking Alliance and Truckload Carriers Association, as well as safety organizations including AAA and the Institute for Safer Trucking.

We are truly grateful for your continued belief in our mission to make all of the heaviest vehicles on our roads safe. We thank our generous donors whose support is critical to us as we advocate for research-based and practice-proven policies that reduce the number of truck crashes, improve the profitability of the trucking industry, and make American roads safer.

Sincerely,

Steve and Susan Owings