Here in the “Crossroads of America,” the roadways of Indiana and Illinois are filled with large commercial trucks moving all kinds of goods and freight in a variety of industries. It is true that some of our large trucks operate within state lines; for instance, a Chicago construction company’s dump trucks moving dirt or rocks to or from a city work site. However, much of our semi-truck traffic is interstate in nature with truck drivers transporting their cargo via local routes to destinations around the country.
What is Interstate Trucking?
Interstate truck traffic is comprised of interstate freeways, U.S. highways, and state highways; these are collectively known as the National Highway System (NHS). The NHS includes the Interstate Highway System as well as other roads deemed “important to the nation’s economy, defense, and mobility” by the U.S. Department of Transportation.
The NHS covers a huge amount of roadway in Illinois and Indiana. Our local interstate system includes:
- the State of Illinois’ 25 active interstate routes, covering 2203.42 miles: I-24, I-39, I-41, I-55, I-57, I-64, I-70, I-72, I-74, I-80, I-88, I-90, I-94; I-155, I-255, I-355, I-270, I-172, I-474, I-180, I-280, I-190, I-290, I-390, I-490, I-294, I-494; and
- the State of Indiana’s 14 active interstate routes, covering 1306.52 miles: I-64, I-65, I-69, I-70, I-74, I-80, I-90, I-94; I-164, I-469, I-265, I-465, I-865, I-275.
Truck Drivers and Interstate Trucking
Every large commercial truck (semi-trucks, 18-wheelers, big rigs, tractor trailers) operating in Indiana and Illinois must be driven by a professional driver who has studied the requirements for driving these huge machines and successfully passed a test to obtain a Commercial Driver’s License (CDL). Both Illinois and Indiana, as well as other states, offer CDL licensure to those men and women who meet the license’s statutory criteria.
For more, read: When Trucking Companies and Truckers are Legally Deemed an Imminent Hazard to the Public Safety.
Duties of CDL Drivers
Each working semi-truck driver must have a current and active CDL issued by his or her home state to drive a big rig. He or she must know the traffic laws and state statutes for the roads being driven, such as speed limits, bridge limits, hazardous materials (“haz mat”) rules, and overnight parking regulations.
The trucker must also understand and comply with all sorts of federal rules and regulations as part of the job. For interstate trucking, the trucker has the responsibility to make sure that his load and rig (truck, trailer, cargo) have a combined weight that is within the federal gross weight limits for his or her particular truck. These duties also include compliance with Hours of Service (HOS) Rules issued by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. For more on HOS, see:
- Commercial Truck Safety and Truck Driver Fatigue: Fatal Truck Crashes, ELDs, and HOS Rules;
- Commercial Truck Drivers Driving Without a Break: HOS 34-hour Restart Restrictions; and
- Drowsy Driving: Do HOS Rules Make Us Safer from Fatal Truck Crashes?
The Dangers of Fatal Semi Truck Crashes in Indiana and Illinois
According to FMCSA, Illinois and Indiana ranked third (3rd) and fourth (4th) in the country for fatal large truck and bus crashes, surpassed only by the states of California and Texas. FMCSA research shows that:
- At least 39% of large truck occupants killed in crashes were not wearing a seatbelt;
- Speed was a factor in 17% of truck crashes with at least one large truck occupant fatality;
- 61% of fatal crashes involving a large truck occurred in rural areas;
- 27% of fatal crashes in work zones involved a large truck; and
- 6% involved large truck driver distraction as a factor, of which 16% was related to cell phone use.
The risk of a serious or fatal semi-truck crash in Indiana and Illinois is much higher than it is for other parts of the country. The danger of a catastrophic or fatal truck accident puts not only the truck driver at risk, but also the rig’s occupants and those who share the road with the big rig as drivers, passengers, and/or pedestrians.
Should Teen Drivers Be Allowed to Drive Semi-Trucks Across State Lines? The Proposed Federal Under-21 Law
Currently, there is proposed legislation before Congress that seeks to allow interstate trucking age regulations to be lowered, in order to allow drivers under the age of 21 years to drive commercial trucks on interstate routes (“long hauls”).
The DRIVE-Safe Act (S659) was introduced to Congress on March 10, 2021, and is described by its sponsor (Indiana Senator Todd Young) as “[a] bill to require the Secretary of Transportation to promulgate regulations relating to commercial motor vehicle drivers under the age of 21, and for other purposes.”
Many safety advocates, including the Teamsters as well as the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association (OOIDA), oppose the passage of this bill, urging that drivers this young will increase the risk of serious and fatal truck crashes in this country.
See, e.g., “Are Younger Truck Drivers Safe?” written by David Sparkman and published by EHS Today on September 15, 2020, which includes a quote from the Teamsters’ then-president James Hoffa regarding the “…enormous safety risks inherent with having teenagers running tractor-trailers over long distances.”
How Much Driving Experience Can They Have?
One argument is the Under-21 driver’s lack of professional experience. Anyone with a CDL license under the age of 21 years simply cannot have that many years behind the wheel of a semi-truck, given that they cannot be licensed to drive any commercial rig until they reach the age of 18.
A serious safety concern is any Under-21 Trucker, no matter how dedicated, will be inexperienced with 2-3 years driving on the job. Inexperienced drivers make mistakes, and mistakes can result in tragic consequences.
It is also possible to envision the teen trucker being likely to fall prey to the temptation to speed, to drive distracted, or to be less vigilant on rural roads — all prime factors in fatal truck crashes according to FMCSA.
Interstate Truck Crash Victims in Indiana and Illinois and the Under-21 Truck Driver
Indiana and Illinois must combat the existing reality of being among the most dangerous states in the country for fatal semi-truck crashes. Many of these tragic truck accidents involve interstate trucking, where federal laws control.
If the Under-21 bill becomes law, then the sad truth is that younger drivers with less experience behind the wheel combined with less years on earth to obtain wisdom and maturity will be roaring their semi-trucks along our roadways.
The likelihood of higher incidents of fatal interstate truck crashes in the high fatality risk states of Indiana and Illinois cannot be ignored.
Trucking companies remain responsible for hiring capable and competent drivers. If the carrier can be shown to have hired a driver that was not capable of doing the job, or having failed to support and monitor that trucker, then that company may be found liable for negligence under state law and liable to the truck crash victims and their families.
For more, read:
- Teen Drivers and Fatal Car Accidents: High Risk in Indiana and Illinois
- Teen Drivers Legally Licensed and Still Dying Behind the Wheel; Car Crashes Number One Cause of Teen Deaths (14 & 18 Year Olds)
- Teen Driver Accidents: Causes and Consequences
- Nuclear Verdicts in Fatal Semi-Truck Crashes
- Will 1980 Legal Minimums for Truck Crash Liability Insurance Coverage Finally Be Increased by Congress?
Teen drivers operating big rigs on interstate highways is a dangerous proposition for everyone who drives the roads of Indiana and Illinois. Please be careful out there!
