U.S. to hold hearings on the rise in heavy-vehicle fatalities

WASHINGTON, D.C. (March 16) — Reacting to an increase in fatalities linked to trucks and buses, U.S. transportation officials will convene public hearings on April 15 and 16 in Washington D.C. to examine why heavy-vehicle crashes happen and how to prevent them.

The hearing, led by National Transportation Safety Board Chairman Jim Hall, will also evaluate the effectiveness of federal, state, and industry oversight of heavy-vehicle safety.

“We have seen an increasing number of truck and bus related deaths in recent years and we need to make sure that every effort is made to ensure the safety of our citizens on our highways,” Hall said.

Discussion panels will include representatives from the NTSB, the U.S. Dept. of Transportation, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance, University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute, United Motorcoach Association, American Bus Association, the American Trucking Associations, Citizens for Reliable and Safe Highways (C.R.A.S.H.), Parents Against Tired Truckers, and others.

The meeting will be held at Georgetown University in Washington.