As the conferees continue negotiating the final language of the DRIVE Act, I am making one last request to remove the provision permitting interstate teen truckers.
I am co-chair of Parents Against Tired Truckers. I became involved in that organization after my son, Jasen, was killed in a truck crash on Oct. 14, 1993. He was a corporal in the U.S. Marine Corps and his life was needlessly ended by a reckless teenage truck driver. That is why I am so adamantly opposed to that misguided measure.
Studies show that the lower the age of a driver, the involvement rates in large-truck crashes increases. It should come as no surprise that young truck drivers, ages 18 to 20, have crash rates that are four to six times higher than those of truck drivers 21 years old and older.
When a similar pilot program for interstate teen truck drivers was considered in 2001, 96 percent of individuals and 88 percent of truck drivers opposed it. A majority of the motoring public, as well as truck drivers, were sensible enough to reject interstate teen truckers.
It is time that Congress do the same.
Russ Swift, Wales
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