Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association
1 NW OOIDA Drive, Grain Valley, MO  64029    
Web site: www.ooida.com

Contact: Norita Taylor, norita_taylor@ooida.com 
Headquarters: (800) 444-5791

Truckers: State senate knows
what’s safe for Illinois highways

(Grain Valley, MO, Oct. 3, 2007) – The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA) supports the Illinois State Senate on its recent move to override Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s veto on SB540. If the state House of Representatives follows suit, this would allow the same speed limits for large trucks and passenger vehicles alike.

“This isn’t rocket science,” exclaimed OOIDA Executive Vice President Todd Spencer. “Having one speed limit in the state for both cars and trucks is the only speed limit policy that makes safety sense.”

Highway safety experts have recognized for decades that when vehicles travel the same speed, lane changes and passing – which would otherwise keep vehicles in constant conflict – are eliminated. One of the first university studies to show there is no safety benefit with slower speed limits for trucks was requisitioned and paid for by AAA.

The safety science hasn’t changed since then, but the politics have changed.

“Apparently AAA needs a bad guy on the highways to demonstrate their own worth and trucks are the convenient target,” said Spencer. “Don’t be fooled. This issue isn’t about politics. It’s about safety.”

Every year accident statistics show that cars are three to four times more likely to run into the back of a truck than the other way around. Rural stretches of interstate highway, where these limits would increase, are the absolute safest highways in the state.

“If the speed limit change causes more trucks to use the interstate instead of two-lane roads where the odds of an accident are six times greater, we are way ahead in highway safety. No good comes from trucks running slower than surrounding traffic.”

The Association believes Illinois Legislature did the right thing by passing SB540 to eliminate split speed limits and the legislators should overwhelmingly override Gov. Blagojevich’s misguided veto.

The Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association is the national trade association representing the interests of small-business trucking professionals and professional truck drivers. OOIDA was established in 1973 and is headquartered in Grain Valley, MO. The Association currently has more than 156,000 members from all 50 states and Canada.