01.30.14

Durbin Calls for Federal Investigation Into Monday's Deadly Tollway Crash

Asks Federal Regulator to Investigate Whether Driving Hours Rules Where Violated

US Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today called on the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) to “immediately and fully” investigate Monday’s deadly tollway crash on I-88 in Aurora, Illinois. According to news reports, the driver in the crash had been on the road for more than 30 hours with little to no sleep, in violation of federal law.

 

In a letter to FMCSA’s Administrator Anne Ferro, Durbin asked the agency to determine if the driver, or his employer, DND International, violated rules limiting the number of hours a driver can be on the road and to take steps to ensure that every trucking company is complying with the law.

 

“I am writing to request your assistance in investigating the fatal crash that occurred this Monday on I-88 in Aurora, Illinois,” Durbin wrote. “According to press reports, the driver… was on the road for over 30 hours and may have slept as little as four hours.  The driver is now facing charges of operating a commercial motor vehicle while impaired or fatigued, making a false report of record and duty status, and driving beyond the current hours allowed by law.”

 

“The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has the authority and the responsibility to investigate incidents like the one this week in Illinoi, and I urge you to quickly and fully investigate this accident.”

 

Furthermore, I hope you will look into any other similar incidents and take the necessary steps to ensure that every trucking company takes these federal rules seriously and is doing everything possible to prevent the kind of dangerous driving behavior that may have contributed to the tragedy in Chicago on Monday.”

 

Driving on little to no sleep has been shown to be as dangerous as driving while intoxicated. Federal rules are in place to prevent such impairment by the estimated 3.5 million truck drivers in America.

 

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is the regulatory agency charged with preventing commercial motor vehicle-related fatalities and injuries.