Independent truckers fully support texting ban
National Desk
October 08, 2009
More education still needed on highway safety.
Grain Valley, Mo. – The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) supports banning texting while driving, but also wants to take the opportunity to call upon government entities to educate the motoring public about driving around large trucks and encourages law enforcement agencies to fully enforce existing laws on inattentive or negligent driving.
"Professional truckers are the safest drivers on the road per vehicle miles traveled," said OOIDA Executive Vice President Todd Spencer. "They have a vested interest in highway safety as their lives and livelihoods quite literally depend on it."
Members of the Association, which make up more than 158,000 small business and professional truckers, have long held concerns about what they witness while working on America´s roadways. They report not only seeing drivers operating automobiles while engaged in activities that significantly impede their ability to attend to the task of driving, but also drivers that do not appear to understand how to safely share the road with large trucks.
The Association currently conducts a Safe Driver Award program which recognizes members for accident-free driving each year. Many participants have been documented as having anywhere from 15 to 35 years of accident-free driving. Some participants have as many as 40 or more years.
Various state law enforcement agencies periodically conduct programs to educate the motoring public about driving around big rigs. These programs involve a state officer riding along with an owner-operator and watching for motorists who follow too closely or cut in front of tractor-trailers.
"These and related types of programs would go a long way in influencing highway safety," added Spencer.
OOIDA supports government efforts to prohibit motorists from sending text or e-mail messages while operating a moving vehicle. OOIDA also calls upon government entities to aggressively pursue opportunities to educate the motoring public on safe driving practices and encourages law enforcement agencies to fully enforce existing laws pertaining to inattentive or negligent driving.
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association is the largest national trade association representing the interests of small-business trucking professionals and professional truck drivers. The Association currently has more than 158,000 members nationwide. OOIDA was established in 1973 and is headquartered in the greater Kansas City, Mo., area.
Grain Valley, Mo. – The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) supports banning texting while driving, but also wants to take the opportunity to call upon government entities to educate the motoring public about driving around large trucks and encourages law enforcement agencies to fully enforce existing laws on inattentive or negligent driving.
"Professional truckers are the safest drivers on the road per vehicle miles traveled," said OOIDA Executive Vice President Todd Spencer. "They have a vested interest in highway safety as their lives and livelihoods quite literally depend on it."
Members of the Association, which make up more than 158,000 small business and professional truckers, have long held concerns about what they witness while working on America´s roadways. They report not only seeing drivers operating automobiles while engaged in activities that significantly impede their ability to attend to the task of driving, but also drivers that do not appear to understand how to safely share the road with large trucks.
The Association currently conducts a Safe Driver Award program which recognizes members for accident-free driving each year. Many participants have been documented as having anywhere from 15 to 35 years of accident-free driving. Some participants have as many as 40 or more years.
Various state law enforcement agencies periodically conduct programs to educate the motoring public about driving around big rigs. These programs involve a state officer riding along with an owner-operator and watching for motorists who follow too closely or cut in front of tractor-trailers.
"These and related types of programs would go a long way in influencing highway safety," added Spencer.
OOIDA supports government efforts to prohibit motorists from sending text or e-mail messages while operating a moving vehicle. OOIDA also calls upon government entities to aggressively pursue opportunities to educate the motoring public on safe driving practices and encourages law enforcement agencies to fully enforce existing laws pertaining to inattentive or negligent driving.
The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association is the largest national trade association representing the interests of small-business trucking professionals and professional truck drivers. The Association currently has more than 158,000 members nationwide. OOIDA was established in 1973 and is headquartered in the greater Kansas City, Mo., area.
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