-2 construction projects be eligible for full federal funding. This brings me to an issue I tried to address last month during consideration of the National Highway System designation bill. As you know Mr. Chairman, the House approved an amendment I authored to the NHS bill that directs the Secretary of Transportation to conduct a one year study of accidents related drivers of commercial vehicles who fall asleep at the wheel. The Secretary would have to make recommendations to the Congress on how to reduce the number of accidents related to this problem. I deeply appreciated your strong support for this amendment. I'd like to relate to the subcommittee why I felt compelled to offer this amendment. According to the U. S. Department of Transportation, in 1992 there were 33,965 accidents involving truck drivers. Of these, 601 accidents were traced directly to truck drivers falling asleep at the wheel - resulting in 45 fatalities. However, in many accidents in which the driver is killed it is difficult to determine for sure whether or not the driver fell asleep. As a result, the real number of truck accidents related to drivers falling asleep at the wheel is more than likely much higher. Mr. Chairman, there is a serious safety problem on our highways. My amendment attempts to address this problem by directing DOT to study the problem in-depth and recommend to Congress ways to address the problem and reduce the number of accidents related to truck drivers falling asleep at the wheel. I would hope that whether or not the NHS is enacted into law this year, that the subcommittee closely examine the issue of drivers falling -3 asleep at the wheel and its impact on highway safety. I would hope that if my provision does become law and DOT conducts a study, that the subcommittee would act promptly on the study's recommendations. In addition to full funding for highway safety construction projects and an examination of "falling-asleep-at-the-wheel" accidents, I would urge the subcommittee to examine the extent to which federal highway funding programs are encouraging and promoting new ways to enhance and improve highway safety. Each and every day seems to bring new discoveries and the development of new technologies. Many of these technologies, such as road sensor technology, can go a long way in promoting Page Four highway safety. We now have the ability to determine not only air temperature but also the temperature of road surfaces. Technology exists to transmit this information instantly to local and state highway officials, as well as the riding public. Such information makes it easier for officials to accurately determine what remedial actions should be taken to improve road safety. By knowing what the road surface temperature is, officials can save value time and resources by getting roads salted at the exact time they need it. Conversely, officials will be able to determine when salting is unnecessary - saving wear and tear on the road surface as well as man and equipment hours. To get the greatest "bang for the federal buck," the subcommittee should make sure that DOT is doing everything possible to encourage states to make use of new technology to promote highway safety - and give states the flexibility they need to fund such initiatives. I would recommend that a portion of federal highway funds be set aside for such -4 projects. This concludes my testimony. I want to applaud you Chairman Rahall for holding this hearing and for the fine work you continue to do with the subcommittee. At this time, I'd be happy to answer any questions you might have. ### TESTIMONY OF HON. WILLIAM O. LIPINSKI, A Mr. RAHALL. The witness next on our list is another dear colleague of ours and a Member of our Public Works and Transportation Committee and our Subcommittee on Surface Transportation, the gentleman from Illinois, our dear friend Bill Lipinski. Bill. Mr. LIPINSKI. Mr. Chairman, I appreciate the opportunity to appear before the subcommittee this morning. I am very pleased that the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation is holding this hearing on motor carrier safety. I would like to commend Chairman Rahall and Chairman Mineta, as well as Ranking Members Shuster and Petri for recognizing the importance of this issue. I also wish to recognize the leadership of Jim Oberstar in bringing these safety truck issues to the attention of the committee. Before I begin, I would like to take a moment to indicate my support for Chairman Oberstar's efforts to limit truck lengths and weights. His legislation is a logical preventive step to protect the National Highway System now, at its beginning. I would like to urge all my colleagues to support H.R. 4496. Mr. Chairman, I am here to testify on H.R. 2967, legislation I have introduced to establish national standards for the transportation of commercial loads and to provide incentives for States to adopt covered load laws. Anyone who has driven next to an uncovered truck can testify to the perils of flying rocks and debris. Projectiles traveling at 60 miles per hour crack and shatter windshields, dent and scratch cars and present a dangerous distraction to drivers. One scenario is that trucks leave behind a trail of debris on the road that other cars and trucks later kick up with their tires. These projectiles, whether they come from the road or directly from the uncovered loads themselves, cause numerous accidents, and, in some cases, have even cost lives. Though State highway agencies do not track the number of accidents caused specifically by flying debris, the experiences of highway safety experts and many drivers testify to the dangers of uncovered loads. In my fall 1993 Constituent Newsletter, I asked my constituents to share their personal experiences with debris flying from uncovered loads. I received dozens of responses which I would like to include in the record at this point. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. The AAA Chicago Motor Club also asked readers of its magazine "Home and Away" to share their experiences with windshield or car body damage caused by falling debris from a truck. They received more than 100 responses. One AAA member reported two incidents involving debris flying off trucks, causing as much as $5,000 worth of damage to his car and injuries to his face and eyes. Despite the lack of data on these incidents, we do have concrete evidence on the most common result-glass windshield breakage. According to statistics gathered from hundreds of insurance companies nationwide, the annual cost of replacing damaged windshields for their policyholders is hundreds of millions of dollars. Allstate Insurance in Illinois estimates that fully 80 percent of the windshields it replaces are damaged by flying debris on roadways. Most victims of these incidents must meet a deductible, and therefore pay $50, $100 or $200 or more of the $200 to $400 replacement cost of a windshield. This figure does not even include the time and inconvenience of filing an insurance claim in getting a windshield replaced. In a very real way, we are all victims of these incidents. Insurance companies pass these costs back to consumers in the form of higher premiums for all drivers. Unfortunately, because of these trucks that are uncovered, we all have to pay. Fortunately, there is a simple solution to this problem-covered load laws. Many States have already passed them. Of the 50 States, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico, 9 States passed laws requiring covers and 11 require covers under certain conditions. I am submitting for the record a list of each State and its current law. [The information follows:] |