Support Resources

The Truck Safety Coalition (CRASH and PATT)

Citizens For Reliable and Safe Highways (CRASH)
http://www.trucksafety.org
The Truck Safety Coalition is a partnership of Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways (CRASH), and Parents Against Tired Truckers (P.A.T.T.). CRASH was formed in 1990 to help mitigate the devastating problem of truck crashes. CRASH is a nationwide, grassroots non-profit organization dedicated to improving overall truck safety in the U.S. and eliminating the unnecessary deaths and injuries caused by truck crashes every year. They represent the millions of Americans who travel the nation's highways every day, including truck drivers, motorists, crash survivors and families of truck crash victims. CRASH works at all levels of government to initiate and promote truck safety legislation around the issues of truck size and weight, truck driver fatigue, and vehicle maintenance. Their goal is to make safety as important as productivity in all U.S. trucking operations.

Parents Against Tired Truckers (PATT)
http://www.patt.org
P.A.T.T. was formed when a truck driver fell asleep at the wheel of his 80,000 pound rig, killing four innocent teenagers. There were no criminal charges (not even a traffic ticket) brought against this truck driver or the trucking company for their deaths. Thus, P.A.T.T. was formed in May of 1994. They have grown from a Maine grassroots group to a Nationally recognized organization. They have been successful in bringing the fatigue issue to the forefront at National events though out the United States. Although misunderstood by some, P.A.T.T. is not anti-trucker. In fact, many truck drivers are applauding them for addressing issues that they themselves cannot for fear of losing their jobs.


Public Citizen
http://www.citizen.org
Public Citizen is a national, nonprofit consumer advocacy organization founded in 1971 to represent consumer interests in Congress, the executive branch and the courts. Public Citizen's Auto Safety Group works to improve highway safety by lobbying Congress to pass critical legislation, monitors the Department of Transportation to be sure it carries out the will of Congress, conducts public awareness campaigns on critical issues, and participates in lawsuits to force government action when necessary.


National Safety Council
www.nsc.org
The National Safety Council (NSC), chartered by an act of Congress, is a non-governmental, not-for-profit, public service organization devoted solely to educating and influencing society to adopt safety, health, and environmental policies, practices, and procedures that prevent and mitigate human suffering and economic losses arising from preventable causes.

 

Government Agencies Overseeing the Trucking Industry

  • Department of Transportation
    http://www.dot.gov
    The Department of Transportation (DOT) was established by an act of Congress on October 15, 1966. The DOT's purpose is to "serve the United States by ensuring a fast, safe, efficient, accessible and convenient transportation system that meets our vital national interests and enhances the quality of life of the American people, today and into the future."
  • National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
    http://www.nhtsa.gov
    The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), under the U.S. Department of Transportation was established by the Highway Safety Act of 1970, as the successor to the National Highway Safety Bureau, to carry out safety programs under the National Traffic and Motor Vehicle Safety Act of 1966 and the Highway Safety Act of 1966. The Vehicle Safety Act has subsequently been recodified under Title 49 of the U. S. Code in Chapter 301, Motor Vehicle Safety. NHTSA also carries out consumer programs established by the Motor Vehicle Information and Cost Savings Act of 1972, which has been recodified in various Chapters under Title 49.
  • Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration
    http://www.fmcsa.dot.gov
    The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) was established as a separate administration within the U.S. Department of Transportation on January 1, 2000, pursuant to the Motor Carrier Safety Improvement Act of 1999. Their primary mission is to reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities involving large trucks and buses.
  • Federal Highway Administration
    http://www.fhwa.dot.gov
    The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) is a major agency of the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). The FHWA is charged with the broad responsibility of ensuring that America’s roads and highways continue to be the safest and most technologically up-to-date.

 

Contact your federal legislative representatives: