Feb 24, 2006 Grain Valley, MO - The Owner-Operator Independent Driver's Association believes a recent proposal by the ATA to set speed limiters at 68 mph on all new trucks could make roadways more dangerous for drivers of all vehicles.

OOIDA has consistently opposed speed limiters because highway safety studies have repeatedly shown that creating speed differentials between trucks and other vehicles makes roadways more dangerous.

"It may sound like a good thing to some to slow down all the big trucks," says Todd Spencer, OOIDA Executive Vice President. " But unless you slow down all the other vehicles too, you've really only made things more dangerous. That why some states are increasing previously lower speeds for trucks."

In addition, studies show it is undisputed that drivers of light vehicles are the primary speeders on North America's highways. OOIDA believes it is simply not logical to require speed limiters for truckers - who are less likely to speed and create related safety hazards - but not on drivers of light vehicles.

To illustrate the point, the state of Washington last year received a federal grant to develop a test program that included posting troopers in trucks to catch drivers that were speeding and driving dangerously. Of the nearly 5,000 tickets issued, 86 percent were handed out to cars.

OOIDA believes that excessive speeding is a legitimate subject of concern: it is dangerous, illegal and tends to result in more severe accidents. However, highway safety engineers have long recognized that highways are safest when all vehicles are traveling at the same speed.

It must be emphasized that OOIDA does not condone speeding or other unsafe driving habits. To the contrary, OOIDA has always urged truckers to comply with all state laws and federal regulations, including running strictly at the posted speed limits.

In addition, OOIDA has conducted an active national promotional campaign since June of 2003 encouraging such strict compliance.

Contact: John Liebnitz, Public Relations Coordinator (816) 229-5791

With its national headquarters located just east of Kansas City in Grain Valley, MO, OOIDA represents the interests of the nation's trucking professionals in the legislative and regulatory processes at both federal and state levels. Founded in 1973, OOIDA is comprised of more than 134,000 owner-operators, professional drivers and small business truckers from all 50 states and Canada.