[Congressional Bills 107th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 2083 Introduced in House (IH)]







107th CONGRESS
  1st Session
                                H. R. 2083

   To amend titles 23 and 49, United States Code, relating to motor 
                 vehicle weight and width limitations.


_______________________________________________________________________


                    IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

                              June 6, 2001

   Mr. Paul introduced the following bill; which was referred to the 
             Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure

_______________________________________________________________________

                                 A BILL


 
   To amend titles 23 and 49, United States Code, relating to motor 
                 vehicle weight and width limitations.

    Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

    This Act may be cited as the ``Safer Truck Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

    The Congress finds the following:
            (1) Heavy trucks carrying up to 20 metric tons of cargo on 
        the National Highway System are not equipped with modern safety 
        features presently found on cars. These features include disc 
        brakes, crash absorbent bumpers, sway bars, roll bars, and 
        underride beams.
            (2) Trucking is the deadliest industry in the United 
        States. One in every 7 Americans killed on the job is a trucker 
        (879 out of the 6,026 workplace deaths in 1998). In 1999, 758 
        truckers were killed in truck crashes alone, which was a 10-
        year high. 4,170 motorists and 434 pedestrians were also killed 
        in collisions with heavy trucks during 1999, a total of 5,362 
        preventable deaths. Of the 142,000 people injured by commercial 
        trucks in 1999, 33,000 were truckers. Over 140,000 people, 
        including more than 23,000 truckers, have been killed in 
        preventable large-truck crashes since the end of the Vietnam 
        War along with 3,000,000 injured. While some modification to 
        roads and bridges may be necessary to accommodate safer trucks, 
        the cost is insignificant compared to the savings that will 
        accrue from reducing this high rate of death and injury.
            (3) Truckers and other highway professionals have the right 
        to operate safer trucks and busses on the National Highway 
        System that are maneuverable enough to avoid collisions without 
        unnecessary Federal interference.

SEC. 3. VEHICLE WEIGHT LIMITATIONS.

    Section 127 of title 23, United States Code, is amended by adding 
at the end the following:
    ``(h) Exception.--
            ``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding subsection (a), a State 
        may allow a single unit truck or bus without a trailer to carry 
        up to 20 metric tons or 44,080 pounds of cargo, packaging, and 
        load securement materials regardless of the overall weight of 
        the vehicle, its axle weights, or the weight of its safety and 
        energy conservation devices if the cargo is evenly distributed 
        in a compartment or combined compartments at least 40 feet 
        long, the overall height of the vehicle and cargo does not 
        exceed the width of the wheelbase, the axles are positioned at 
        the extreme ends of the vehicle, the gross weight and certified 
        empty weight of the vehicle (including detachable cargo 
        compartments) are marked conspicuously on the front of the 
        vehicle in contrasting 3-inch or taller letters and numbers.
            ``(2) Calculation of gross weight.--For purposes of this 
        subsection, the gross weight shall be calculated by adding 20 
        metric tons or 44,080 pounds to the empty weight.''.

SEC. 4. VEHICLE WIDTH LIMITATIONS.

    Section 31113(b) of title 49, United States Code, is amended to 
read as follows:
    ``(b) Exclusion of Safety and Energy Conservation Devices.--
            ``(1) Energy conservation devices.--Width calculated under 
        this section does not include an energy conservation device the 
        Secretary decides is necessary for safe and efficient operation 
        of a commercial motor vehicle.
            ``(2) Safety devices.--
                    ``(A) In general.--A safety device that reduces the 
                possibility of death and injury shall not be included 
                in the calculation of width for purposes of this 
                section if such device fits entirely within the legal 
                travel lanes of all roads upon which the vehicle 
                operates.
                    ``(B) Safety device defined.--In this subsection, 
                the term `safety device' includes mirrors, grabhandles, 
                steps, rearview video cameras, crash absorbent bumpers 
                and body panels, batteries for regenerative braking, 
                wheels, tires, structural members, and drivetrain 
                components positioned to enhance vehicle stability.''.
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