Pa. police chiefs to Congress: Say 'no' to bigger trucks on our interstates
Pennsylvania's police chiefs and their departments every day witness the dangers that tractor-trailers pose to motorists and our communities both big and small.
Our collective experience as first responders to accidents has led us to the very rational conclusion that heavier trucks are more dangerous to motorists. That's why over the years we have battled efforts by legislators in Congress to allow heavier trucks on our interstates.
But some in Congress are now back at it again, with lawmakers weighing a new attempt that would allow trucks to operate at 91,000 pounds, a big increase of 11,000 pounds.
Increasing truck weights will make these already dangerous vehicles even more dangerous. It’s just common sense that bigger trucks carry extra risk on the road and are more likely to be involved in crashes than lighter trucks. With another 5.5 tons, the crashes will be more severe, causing more injuries and fatalities.
Pennsylvania is no stranger to truck traffic, especially since we have major routes such as I-95, I-80 and I-79, which all experience a high amount of commercial truck traffic already. And Pennsylvania police departments are already stretched thin responding to accidents involving trucks that are not as heavy as 91,000 pounds.
Once you add more weight onto semi-trucks, police departments can expect crashes and injuries to climb. In 2016, the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) found that heavier trucks have 18% higher brake violations and more out-of-service violations. And in a separate study, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found that trucks with out-of-service violations are 362% more likely to be involved in a crash.
It's simple physics — a heavier truck is harder to control, and crash impact is determined by the weight of the truck multiplied by speed. This will inevitably result in more deaths, injuries, and damage on roads throughout the commonwealth.
Already, truck crashes are deadly across the state. The Federal Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS), considered the most complete and accurate crash dataset, shows a total of 7,652 large-truck crashes in Pennsylvania in 2022, the most recent year with data available. Sadly, 185 people lost their lives in those crashes, a 14.2% increase in fatalities compared to the previous year.
If the data says that these vehicles are especially dangerous at heavier weights, and the U.S. Department of Transportation recommended that truck weights not be changed, why is there an attempt to make our roads more dangerous now?
The answer comes down to wealthy shipping companies with the deepest pockets on Capitol Hill. And because this issue does not immediately grab the front page of the national media, the proponents of bigger trucks think that they can just quietly pass legislation without the people who will be most affected by this change noticing.
As leaders in local law enforcement, our duty is to serve and protect the people of Pennsylvania, which is why we cannot remain silent when bills such as H.R. 3372, which threatens the safety of our residents and those who are visiting our great commonwealth, by creating a 10-year pilot project allowing 91,000-pound trucks.
One of the first responsibilities of our elected officials is public safety. We strongly urge our elected officials throughout the commonwealth to oppose the measure and to vote against any bills that would increase truck size and weight.
The lives of our residents, officers, and first responders are not worth this additional risk, all in the name of corporate profit.
Scott L. Bohn is executive director of the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association, which is comprised of over 1,200 command-level law enforcement officers. It includes not only chiefs of police, superintendents, and commissioners, but also the commanding officers of federal, state, and industrial agencies across Pennsylvania.
This article originally appeared on Erie Times-News: Pa. police chiefs oppose efforts in Congress to boost truck weight
