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 2018, there were 4,951 people killed in traffic crashes involving large trucks;7 and

WHEREAS, in 2018, large trucks were 19 percent more likely to be involved in fatal multiple- vehicle crashes as opposed to fatal single-vehicle crashes, than were passenger cars;8 and

WHEREAS, in 2018, over 20 percent of all large-truck drivers involved in fatal crashes had at least one prior speeding conviction;9 and

WHEREAS, between 2009 and 2017, the number of fatal crashes involving large trucks increased by 42 percent;10 and

WHEREAS, in 2018, only 4 percent of registered vehicles in the United States were large trucks or buses, yet they accounted for 9 percent of vehicles involved in traffic fatalities;11and

WHEREAS, in 2017, 30 percent of fatal crashes in work zones involved a large truck;12 and

WHEREAS, in FY 2019, 3,353,356 truck inspections were performed nationwide, resulting in 1,942,204 violations and resulting in 935,391 “Out of Service” violations;13 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 41 percent of bridges are more than 50 years old14 and, as of 2019, 7.5 percent of the bridges nationwide are rated as poor;15 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; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, that the IACP opposes any increase in the size and weight limits of large trucks on U.S. highways.

7 NHTSA, “Large Trucks,” Traffic Safety Facts, March 2020.

8 NHTSA, “Large Trucks.”

9 NHTSA, “Large Trucks.”

10 U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), National Freight Strategic Plan (Washington, DC: U.S. DOT, 2020).

11 NHTSA, “Large Trucks.”

12 U.S. DOT, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), “2018 CMV Traffic Safety Fact Sheet,” August 2019.

13 U.S. DOT, FMCSA, “Roadside Inspections,” November 2020.

14 U.S. DOT, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), “Bridge Condition by Year Built,” 2019.

15 U.S. DOT, FHWA, “Bridge Condition by Highway System 2019.”