Institute for Safer Trucking Commends U.S. House of Representatives for Passing Infrastructure Bill that Promotes Safer Trucking Solutions

Washington, D.C. – July 1, 2020 – Today, the United States House of Representatives passed H.R. 2 – the Moving Forward Act. This comprehensive infrastructure package crafted under the careful consideration of House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure Chairman Peter DeFazio (D-OR) contains much needed investments in safer trucking solutions that will reduce truck crashes, prevent injuries, and save lives throughout our country.

“I am thankful that this infrastructure bill includes language to strengthen the standards for rear underride guards on trailers and to study the feasibility, benefits, and costs associated with installing side underride guards on trailers,” noted Laurie Higginbotham, a board member of the Institute for Safer Trucking (IST).” After my son, Michael, was killed in a side underride crash with a large truck, I was forced to learn about these glaring safety issues that have persisted for too long and punished too many families like mine. Congressman Steve Cohen (D-TN) has been a tremendous champion on this issue and his effort in getting this language included will help keep so many families from enduring the preventable loss that mine experienced.”

Peter Malarczyk, also an IST board member commented, “After my sisters and I survived a truck crash that killed both of our parents and a family friend on our way back to New York from a vacation in Vermont, we knew that elements of trucking needed to change to stop the avoidable life-long injuries and the needless loss of life. While my family was in a crash with a trucking company that carried adequate coverage for their mistake, too many folks are doubly punished by inadequate minimum insurance levels, which haven’t been raised in 40 years despite skyrocketing medical costs in that same time. All of us at IST are grateful to Representative Chuy Garcia (D-IL) for his outstanding efforts to increase the minimum insurance requirements and to index it to inflation so we do not encounter another four decades of Congressional inaction that would lead to more instances of financial devastation following a truck crash.”

“Requiring automatic emergency braking (AEB) on new trucks will be a game-changer for safety. We have worked with many families over the years who have lost loved ones and incurred debilitating injuries due to fatigue, distraction, or impairment; almost all of their crashes could have been mitigated or prevented had this technology been in place at the time,” stated John Lannen and Harry Adler, co-founders and co-chairs of IST. “We have also worked with enough safety-conscious trucking companies whose successful, years-long use provide concrete confirmation of the crash-reducing potential of AEB. Congressman Hank Johnson (D-GA) should be commended for his hard work to make sure this provision was included in the overall bill.”

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The Institute for Safer Trucking (IST) is a nonprofit organization committed to fostering collaboration between stakeholders to provide the public with an understanding of truck safety issues and the data-driven solutions that can address them. We are a reliable resource for families of truck crash victims and survivors in need of help after their truck crash.