Representatives from 14 organizations recently sent a letter to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure voicing opposition to a proposal to lower the age for obtaining an interstate commercial drivers license from 21 to 18.
The proposal is included in the Waiving Hindrances to Economic Enterprise and Labor Act and the Developing Responsible Individuals for a Vibrant Economy Act.
Younger drivers lack the experience, judgment, skill, and maturity to drive a commercial vehicle, the letter said, and most will not have completed a graduated drivers license program. Commercial drivers under the age of 19 are four times more like to be involved in a fatal crash while drivers 19 and 20 are six times more likely, the letter stated.
In addition, the mandatory training required in the second bill is inadequate, requiring only 80 hours behind the wheel during the first probationary period and 160 hours during the second probationary period. These hours can be achieved in less than a month, the letter said.
“Congress should instead be focusing on the causes of the staggering driver turnover rate, which remains above 90 percent among large truckload carriers, and its impact on safety,” the organizations wrote.
High turnover also negatively effects safety, the letter stated.