Founders’ Letter - Winter 2020
Dear Friends,
We hope you all have had enjoyable holidays and a great start to 2020.
Since the Cullum Owings Large Truck Safe Operating Speed Act was introduced by Senators Johnny Isakson (R - GA) and Chris Coons (D - DE) last year, Road Safe America has been working tirelessly to educate lawmakers about the safety benefits of requiring large trucks to set their speed limiters at a safe maximum speed. While many Congressional offices were interested in supporting this life-saving legislation, important players in the trucking industry — namely, the American Trucking Associations (ATA) — thought it needed updates. They came up with additional ideas that we are excited to now have reflected in the bill.
The updated bill is a major development: enhanced speed limiter legislation, which has support from most of the trucking industry, that Senator Isakson and Senator Coons (D -DE) introduced before the end of 2019. This new legislation (S. 3005) has potential to sharply decrease injuries and deaths that are caused by speeding trucks. The language in this bill would require:
Heavy vehicle speed limiting devices to be set at a maximum speed of 65mph, or 70mph when automatic emergency braking (AEB) and adaptive cruise control (ACC) are in use. These advanced safety technologies will prevent tailgating and automatically stop a truck in an emergency situation.
All trucks to abide by a maximum speed limit of 65mph (or 70mph with the use of AEB and ACC). This includes the oldest trucks still on our highways.
All new commercial trucks with a gross weight of 26,001-lbs or more to continue to be equipped with speed limiting devices, as standard capability.
While we are excited by these recent developments, we recognize that there is a lot of work to be done between the time the bill is introduced and it becoming law. Susan and I are incredibly thankful to all of you who took the time to educate your lawmakers thus far, but we need as many of you to help as possible. We need to keep the momentum going. With help from all of you, our friends throughout the country, we can successfully educate all 535 Members of Congress about the safety benefits of limiting the speed at which the heaviest vehicles can travel our highways. Please visit www.roadsafeamerica.org to find out more information about the advantages of heavy vehicle speed limiter settings and/or how to connect with your federal lawmaker to encourage them to actively support this life-saving legislation.
Susan and I recognize that without your generous support and faith in our mission, we could not continue to work for safer trucks and safer roads. We are grateful.
Thank you,
Steve and Susan Owings
