Adopted at the 121st Annual Conference

Orlando, Florida

October 21, 2014

Opposing Increases in Size and Weight of Large Trucks

Submitted by: Highway Safety Committee

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WHEREAS, the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) is concerned with the safety of motorists on U.S. highways and the reliability of the U.S. infrastructure, and

WHEREAS, in 2012, there were 3,921 people killed in traffic crashes involving large trucks, an increase of 4 percent from 2011, and 104,000 people injured, an increase of 18 percent from 2011;¹ and

WHEREAS, in 2012, large trucks were 23 percent more likely to be involved in fatal multiple-vehicle crashes as opposed to fatal single-vehicle crashes, than were passenger cars;² and

WHEREAS, in 2012, nearly 18 percent of all large-truck drivers involved in fatal crashes had at least one prior speeding conviction;³ and

WHEREAS, in 2012, only 4 percent of registered vehicles in the United States were large trucks or buses, yet they accounted for 12 percent of the traffic fatalities;⁴ and

WHEREAS, in 2012, 24 percent of fatal crashes in work zones involved a large truck;⁵ and

WHEREAS, in FY 2013, 3,491,423 truck inspections were performed nationwide, resulting in 6,261,799 violations and resulting in 942,046 "Out of Service" violations;⁶ and

WHEREAS, an increase in truck size and weight would place an increased burden on an already short-staffed number of trained commercial vehicle enforcement officers; and

WHEREAS, more than half of the bridges in the National Highway System are more than 40 years old and nearly 25 percent are rated as structurally deficient or functionally obsolete;⁷ and

WHEREAS, heavier trucks would deteriorate infrastructure more rapidly, would overtax the suspension and braking systems, impact steering and control, and increase injury severity due to increased kinetic energy in crashes, and

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the International Association of Chiefs of Police opposes any increase in the size and weight limits of large trucks on our nation's roadways.

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¹ National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Traffic Safety Facts 2012 - Large Trucks -DOT HS 811 868

² Ibid

³ Ibid

⁴ Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) Commercial Motor Vehicle Traffic Safety Facts, Strategies and Partnerships, November, 2013

⁵ Ibid

⁶ U.S. DOT, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), Analysis & Information Online, Roadside Inspection Activity

⁷ U.S. DOT, Federal Highway Administration, Bridges and Structures, 2013