OOIDA Call to Action – New Jersey members
Thursday, Aug. 5, 2010

Attention: New Jersey truckers. A bill awaiting consideration on the floor of the New Jersey Assembly would mandate blood or breath testing for all vehicle operators in “serious” wrecks, whether or not there is indication of driving under the influence.

Based on information available it’s not clear who would actually be drawing the blood of drivers involved in wrecks resulting in death or serious injury. And it appears this testing would be in addition to any testing commercial drivers would be subject to based on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations.

We are certainly not opposed to New Jersey having an interest in putting in place the same standards for noncommercial drivers as professional drivers, but concerns remain about the bill.

A651 also includes hefty fines for refusal to submit to testing. In addition to fines of up to $1,000, offenders would face a possible two-year suspension of their driver’s license – the same penalty for a conviction of refusal in relation to a drunken driving charge.

While the intentions of the bill might be good, it appears A651 was written in too much haste. It would probably be a good idea to contact your state assembly member and let them know that commercial drivers are already required to submit to drug and alcohol testing if involved in certain serious accidents.

You can also call the OOIDA Membership Department at 800-444-5791 and they will look up the contact information for you.