Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Belt Partnership

AMERICA NEEDS YOU. BUCKLE UP.

Every year, thousands of Americans die or are seriously injured in motor vehicle crashes because they fail to wear safety belts. As professional organizations representing a substantial number of truck drivers and law enforcement officers in the commercial motor vehicle industry throughout North America, we believe our members should set the example for the motoring public. A recent study conducted by the U.S. Department of Transportation shows only 54 percent of commercial motor vehicle drivers wear safety belts compared to 82 percent of passenger vehicle drivers.

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In 2004, 303 of the 634 commercial motor vehicle drivers killed in crashes were not wearing safety belts. Of the 168 drivers killed who were ejected from their vehicles, almost 75 percent of them were not wearing safety belts. This is a preventable tragedy! In response to this, each member of the Safety Belt Partnership has made a commitment to increase safety belt use in the commercial driver community. Here is what they have to say:

AMERICAN SOCIETY OF SAFETY ENGINEERS

Founded in 1911, the American Society of Safety Engineers (ASSE) is the oldest and largest professional safety organization and is committed to protecting people, property and the environment. Based in Des Plaines, IL, ASSE has 30,000 members who manage, supervise, research and consult on safety, health, transportation and environmental issues in all industries, government, labor and education.

ASSE is a global organization with 151 chapters, 30 sections and 63 student sections in the U.S. and members in 64 countries including chapters in Saudi Arabia and Kuwait, and sections in Egypt and Ecuador. Our members work day in and day out to make sure that the millions of people who go to work each day return home safely.

Every year since 1992 transportation accidents have been the leading cause of on-the-job deaths in the U.S. Large truck crashes have declined over the years, however the majority of those who lost their lives in commercial vehicles were solo truck drivers not wearing their safety belts. Safety belts save lives and prevent injuries. ASSE and its members are committed to improving workplace safety and support programs including efforts to continue to increase safety belt use among all sectors of the driving public. For decades ASSE and its members have worked to improve roadway safety and increase the use of seat belts through professional education programs, advocacy, ongoing public awareness and more.

The American Society of Safety Engineers is proud to be a part of the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Belt Partnership in its ongoing efforts to increase the use of safety belts. For more information, visit www.asse.org.

AMERICAN TRUCKING ASSOCIATIONS

ATA is the national trade and safety association of the trucking industry created to promote and protect the interests of the industry through a united federation of motor carriers, state trucking associations, and national trucking conferences. ATA praises the efforts of the industry and ATA members to promote the use of safety belts to save the lives of their employees and the general public. ATA believes that a person who uses a safety belt maintains better control of a vehicle in a crash sequence and can prevent or minimize the occurrence. ATA fully supports the increased industry and Government action to increase safety belt use and wants to send the message to professional drivers to "Maintain Control-Buckle Up!" For more information, visit www.truckline.com.

COMMERCIAL VEHICLE SAFETY ALLIANCE

CVSA is the international association that represents law enforcement and industry organizations dedicated to truck and bus safety and security. Too many truck and bus drivers are being killed because they are not buckling up. It is the single most important safety device in protecting vehicle occupants. We are encouraging our members to educate drivers and motor carriers and to aggressively enforce the federal safety belt law that is already on the books for truck and bus drivers. Our message to drivers is: "Wear Your Safety Belt. Save Your Life. Avoid a Ticket." For more information, visit www.cvsa.org.

FEDERAL MOTOR CARRIER SAFETY ADMINISTRATION

FMCSA is a safety agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation. Its primary mission is to reduce crashes, injuries, and fatalities involving large trucks and buses. The Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Belt Partnership will help achieve this goal. In creating the partnership, Secretary Norman Y. Mineta stressed the great contribution commercial motor vehicle drivers make to highway safety and the economic health and well-being of America. His message to these drivers is, "America needs you. Buckle up." For more information, visit www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safetybelt.

GREAT WEST CASUALTY COMPANY

Great West Casualty Company specializes in insurance products and services exclusively for the trucking industry. The Great West network of independent agents are service-oriented and excellent resources for solutions on the issues truckers face in today's environment. Great West serves 34 states and is headquartered in South Sioux City, Nebraska. Great West believes that having a proactive safety program is the cornerstone of a great trucking company. The company supports safety belt usage and encourages all of their customers to use them. Currently, Great West is working on a variety of projects aimed at increasing safety belt usage with professional truck drivers. For more information, visit www.gwccnet.com.

MOTOR FREIGHT CARRIERS ASSOCIATION

MFCA is the national trade association representing the unionized less-than-truckload industry. Member companies are among the oldest trucking companies in the U.S., employing more than 42,000 Teamster truck drivers-all of whom have hazardous materials endorsements. MFCA believes safety belt use is the single most effective strategy a person can employ to prevent deaths and injuries. Member companies have been proactive on safety belt use, and they believe there is always an opportunity to continue developing new programs and improving the usage throughout the industry. MFCA applauds and supports FMCSA and the partnership for developing an outreach and educational campaign that will save lives and improve highway safety. After all, safety is more than a program, it's an attitude. And the tone is set each time an individual steps into the cab and buckles up. For more information, visit http://www.mfca.org.

NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION

NHTSA is an agency within the U.S. Department of Transportation responsible for reducing deaths, injuries, and economic losses resulting from motor vehicle crashes. In fulfilling this responsibility, it serves as a national leader for the promotion of occupant-restraint use for children, youth, and adults. NHTSA is confident that the efforts of the Safety Belt Partnership will contribute greatly to creating a national norm that makes it unacceptable to ride unrestrained in any motor vehicle. The agency looks forward to sharing its research on driver behavior and traffic safety, showing that highly visible enforcement of safety belt laws increases use. NHTSA is optimistic that this strategy, along with others, will help the Partnership realize its commitment to saving lives and reducing injuries among truck drivers throughout the country. For more information, visit www.nhtsa.dot.gov.

NATIONAL PRIVATE TRUCK COUNCIL

NPTC is the national trade association dedicated exclusively to representing private motor carrier fleets. These fleets include food, retail, wholesale, construction, and service companies. Our priority interest is SAFETY. We believe that most of our members' drivers share this interest in SAFETY and wear their safety belts, but we won't be satisfied until we reach 100 percent. We encourage all of our members' drivers and the entire professional driving community to wear their safety belts and save lives. In the words of NPTC's President and CEO, Gary F. Petty, "You have to be present to win." We want to "win" 100 percent of the time. For more information, visit http://www.nptc.org.

NATIONAL SAFETY COUNCIL

NSC, the national nonprofit safety and health organization based in Chicago, has long been involved in the workplace, on the highway, and in the community. We strongly support efforts by the industry and government to increase safety belt protection for truck drivers. Our Truck and Bus Safety Symposiums and our Air Bag and Seat Belt Safety Campaign are examples of our initiatives in these areas. We look forward to supporting this important effort. For more information, visit www.nsc.org.

NATSO

Headquartered just outside Washington, D.C., NATSO is the national trade association representing America's $42 billion travel plazas and truckstop industry. NATSO's mission is to advance this diverse industry by serving as the official source of information on travel plazas, acting as the voice of the industry with government, and conducting the industry's only national convention and exposition. NATSO endorses the use of safety belts and strongly encourages its members to advertise this message in their facilities. Promoting safety belt use to drivers and carriers will go a long way toward saving lives and improving the safety and quality of America's roadways. For more information, visit www.natso.com.

NATIONAL TANK TRUCK CARRIERS

NTTC has represented the tank truck industry for over 50 years. As the prime carriers of hazardous materials in bulk, safety is our number one priority. We feel that drivers of cargo tanks are among the best trained, prepared, and educated drivers in the motor carrier business. The trucking companies within our membership are proactive in their efforts to ensure that all drivers of commercial motor vehicles wear their safety belts at all times. NTTC promotes the wearing of safety belts among our membership; our collective driver corps should set excellent examples to the motoring public. We value the accomplishments of our drivers. Driver safety is paramount; this association asserts that "buckling up" saves lives. For more information, visit www.tanktruck.net.

NETWORK OF EMPLOYERS FOR TRAFFIC SAFETY

The Network of Employers for Traffic Safety (NETS) is an employer-led public/private partnership dedicated to improving the safety and health of employees, their families, and members of the communities in which they live and work by preventing traffic crashes that occur both on and off the job. NETS believes safety belts are the best defense against the risky driving behaviors on our roadways and are the most effective means of reducing injuries and fatalities in a crash. To safeguard America's workforce, NETS develops and promotes corporate safety belt programs for all places of business. Employers have a crucial role to play in increasing safety belt use to safeguard employees—their most valuable asset. Our message to America's workers: "Please buckle up. We need employees like you." For more information, visit www.trafficsafety.org.

OWNER-OPERATOR INDEPENDENT DRIVERS ASSOCIATION

OOIDA is the international trade association representing the interests of independent owner-operators and professional drivers on all issues that affect small business truckers. OOIDA is active in all aspects of highway safety and transportation policy, and interacts with state, provincial, and federal government agencies; legislatures; the courts; other trade associations; and private businesses. OOIDA considers the membership its greatest asset. The safety, security, and well-being of the members, and that of all truckers, remain foremost on OOIDA's agenda. The vast majority of truckers are true professionals, and wouldn't think of pulling onto the highway without properly securing their load. Unfortunately, too many are failing to secure their most valuable cargo-themselves. OOIDA urges these experienced professionals to be out front, setting the example for other truckers and for all highway users to buckle up. For more information, visit www.ooida.com.

PROPERTY CASUALTY INSURERS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA

The Property Casualty Insurers Association of America (PCI), with its more than 1,000 member companies, serves as the voice of the property/casualty insurance industry before state and federal policymakers; state and federal courts; key industry, government and business groups; the news media; and the public. The statistics are convincing; lives are saved and the severity of injuries is reduced as safety belt use increases. As a result, PCI has been an ardent supporter of measures to improve highway safety, including efforts to increase safety belt use among all sectors of the driving public. Over the years PCI has worked with its members insurance companies to promote safety belt use. PCI is proud to be a part of the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Belt Partnership in this effort to encourage the use of safety belts. For more information, visit www.pciaa.net.

TRUCK MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION

TMA represents the major medium and heavy duty truck manufacturers in North America, including: Ford Motor Company; Freightliner LLC; General Motors Corporation; Mack Trucks, Inc.; International Truck and Engine Corporation; Isuzu Commercial Truck of America, Inc.; PACCAR Inc.; and Volvo Trucks North America. Our members build trucks with the driver's safety as a top priority. Keeping the driver inside the cab is the only way to benefit from the protection a modern cab offers. Wearing a safety belt in the truck is the best protection against ejection from the cab. Our message to drivers: "Keep in the cab, wear your safety belt." For more information, visit www.truckmanufacturersassociation.org.

TAKE THE SAFETY BELT PLEDGE

I will wear my safety belt because my wellbeing greatly affects my family and loved ones. It is my responsibility to maintain control of my vehicle. Using my safety belt is my best chance of remaining in control of my truck in a crash or emergency situation. I will always remember to buckle up.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

To learn more about the Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Belt Partnership, please visit FMCSA online at www.fmcsa.dot.gov/safetybelt.

U.S. Department of Transportation
FMCSA-E-05-02