SAFE TRUCKING TASK FORCE RECOMMENDATIONS By SECRETARY OF STATE GEORGE H. RYAN

During my campaign for Secretary of State, I pledged to form a Safe Trucking Task Force to study a broad range of truck and traffic safety issues. The Task Force became a reality in April and recently presented its final report. I am pleased that its recommendations include a proposed federal ban on radar detectors for commercial vehicles and creation of statewide drug-free truck stop zones.

Although the trucking industry has taken major steps to promote safety, trucks were involved in more than 20,000 wrecks on Illinois highways in 1989. Many of these can be traced to drivers who were tired, speeding or impaired by drugs or alcohol. We cannot expect the number of crashes to drop significantly unless we take steps to promote safer drivers.

Therefore, the 30-member Safe Trucking Task Force held three public meetings during May and June, listening to the concerns of interested citizens and truck safety experts in Rosemont, Springfield and Mount Vernon. Now a permanent advisory group, the Task Force represents state and federal agencies, safety as sociations, the insurance industry, farming communi ties and the trucking industry.

Other major recommendations in the Task Force report include continued sobriety checks of truck drivers at weigh stations and creation of a State Services Coordination Committee to assist the trucking indus try. All of the following initiatives have my support:

Ban on Radar Detectors

The majority of representatives from the trucking industry on the Task Force stated that their companies or associations already had a ban on radar detector use for all of their drivers. Those representatives also expressed concern about not having a uniform ban affecting all states.

Therefore, the majority of the Task Force members recommended federal action to ban radar detectors in commercial vehicles for the entire nation. Barring federal action, the Task Force recommends a similar ban applying to commercial vehicles in Illinois and a review of the need to ban radar detectors in all vehicles.

Drug-Free Truck Stop Zones

The Task Force urges Congress to pass HR 1551, which would create the federal Drug-Free Truck Stop Act of 1991. This act would increase the penalties for any person attempting to sell drugs within 1,000 feet of a truck stop or rest area.

The Task Force also recommends the re-introduction of state legislation to serve as a backup in case the federal legislation fails.

Sobriety Checks at Weigh Stations

The Task Force supports efforts to eliminate drivers who are alcohol and/or drug impaired from Illinois highways. However, given the manpower and logistical needs for conducting sobriety checks at weigh stations, the Task Force supports existing checks and inspections being done by the Illinois State Police.

Approximately 80,000 inspections have been conducted during each of the last few years. Police departments in the Secretary of State's office and the Illinois Commerce Commission were commended by the Task Force for offering to provide backup assistance to the State Police for conducting existing checks.

State Services Coordination Committee

The Task Force recommends the formation of this committee to assist the trucking industry by:
. improving cooperation among government regulatory agencies;
. coordinating efforts to educate the public about laws regulating the trucking industry; and
. establishing a One-Stop Shop for the trucking industry involving state agencies that have a direct impact on the industry, and modeled after one-stop shops in other states.

Task Force members also discussed a study on "Fatigue, Drugs and Alcohol and Their Effects on Truck Drivers," compiled by the National Transportation Safety Board. The study reviewed 182 fatal truck accidents between Oct. 1, 1987, and Sept. 30, 1988.

Fatigue was the major factor in 29 percent of those accidents, drugs attributed to 20 percent, speed 13 percent, alcohol 11 percent, the environment 10 percent, physical factors (equipment failure) 10 percent and failure to yield 7 percent.

The Safe Trucking Task Force did an outstanding job in addressing truck and traffic safety issues. We in the Secretary of State's office will examine and take action on these and other issues during my administration. I look forward to continued cooperation with the Task Force and with statewide associations concerned with traffic safety.

November 1991 / Illinois Municipal Review / Page 17