Contact: Shana Stribling 202.224.0309
Thursday, May 22, 2003

WASHINGTON, DC - Senator Kit Bond today stressed the important of transportation safety when he joined officials from five groups as they announced the formation of the State Highway Safety Alliance. The Safety Alliance was formed to seek highway safety improvements in upcoming legislation.

"Without question, safety is the number one issue to consider when we discuss transportation," said Bond, Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee. "As we consider new transportation initiatives in TEA-21 Reauthorization, I will continue to support a number of safety initiatives, including a freeze on triple-trailer trucks. I literally just came from an event where I stood in front of one of these monstrous combination vehicles, and I can tell you that these things scare me. They do not belong on the same roads and bridges as our friends and families."

The alliance was formed when its member groups, which include the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators (AAMVA), the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) and the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) became aware their separate safety policy proposals for this year’s reauthorization of the federal surface transportation act shared many areas of agreement.

The spokespeople from AASHTO, AAMVA, GHSA and CVSA also were joined by Gene Voegtlin of the International Association of Chiefs of Police, which is expected to formally join the new safety alliance upon action by IACP’s board of directors.

Earlier this morning Bond announced a campaign to increase highway safety – specifically Bond is pushing for the stop of triple trailer trucks from being allowed on Missouri's highways – or any other state's highways.

Kit Bond is Missouri’s senior Senator and is now in his third term after having served the state previously during two terms as Governor.