Weight Limits and Truck Safety
Truck safety advocates often battle with the trucking industry over truck safety legislation. Recently, the issue of truck weight limits took center stage. The trucking industry favors higher weight limits for more profitable operations. Truck safety advocates contend that heavier trucks pose greater risk to the motoring public.
On May 13 and 14 2008, the trucking industry group Americans for Safe and Efficient Transportation (ASET) hosted a “fly-in” to lobby congress for legislation increasing the weight limit for heavy trucks from the current 80,000 pounds to 97,000 pounds, a 21% increase. According to the ASET website, such a change would increase efficiency and decrease pollution.
As reported by the Washington Post (the articles are reprinted at the ASET website), the idea is opposed by certain key members of the Senate who quickly introduced legislation to prevent any increase of the weight limit, claiming that heavier trucks take longer to stop, cause more damage to public roads, and are more inclined to cause roll-over accidents. (This legislation, the Safe Truck Operations and Preservation Act, may be viewed at the Library of Congress website by searching for S3021.) These concerns are shared by truck safety advocacy groups such as Advocates for Highway and Auto Safety which outlines the dangers of heavier trucks in a “Fact Sheet” here.
