The American Trucking Associations (ATA) has published a highway safety agenda it feels will reduce the number of fatalities on US roads.

The platform includes 18 steps to improve highway safety. The recommendations were developed by the ATA Safety Task Force.

'Safe driving and safe highways are a team effort,' said ATA president and CEO Bill Graves. 'The entire community, from motor carriers to law enforcement to the motoring public and law makers must work in concert to make our highways safe. ATA has long pursued a safety agenda. Large truck fatality and injury rates are already at their lowest point since the federal government began reporting the figures three decades ago. But we must continue to raise the bar for safety.'

Ten recommendations aim to improve truck and passenger vehicle driver performance, including: policy on use of non-integrated technologies while vehicle is moving; policy supporting uniform CDL testing standards; support for a CDL graduated licensing study; advocating for additional truck parking; advocating for a national 65 mph speed limit; promoting increased seat belt use; support for national car-truck behaviour improvement program; support for red light cameras; support for graduating licensing for teen drivers; and support for more stringent impaired driving laws.

On the vehicle side, the ATA is calling for: support electronic speed governing of certain non-commercial vehicles; electronic speed governing of all large trucks built since 1992; and advocating for new crash worthiness standards.

ATA also released five recommendations to improve federal oversight, including: advocating for a national employer notification system; creating a federal clearinghouse for positive drug and alcohol tests from CDL holders; supporting a federal registry of certified medical examiners; creating a policy supporting access to the national Driver Information Resource; and supporting the requirement of safety training for new motor carriers.