ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, January 8, 1997 TAG: 9701080015
SECTION: EDITORIAL PAGE: A-8 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: ED QUINN
CONCERNING J.L. Vannoy's Dec. 29 letter to the editor, ``Build special roads for trucks only'':
Before people makes comments such as he made, they should consider what trucking means to our state's economic well-being. Trucks move the lion's share of products to support our manufacturing, construction, agriculture and service industries. And in Virginia, there are more than 194,970 employed in more than 7,400 local trucking companies.
Also, let's report the correct facts and percentages on truck safety and taxation:
* Large trucks were involved in 2.3 fatal crashes per 100 million vehicle miles traveled in 1995.
* The rate of fatal accidents involving large trucks dropped 39 percent from 1985 to 1995, while the miles traveled increased 41 percent.
* 1995 traffic fatalities for all vehicles rose 2.8 percent over 1994; truck-involved fatalities fell 4.7 percent.
* More than 40,000 people die on America's roads each year. In 88 percent of those fatalities, trucks are not involved in any way. Of the accidents causing the remaining 12 percent of the fatalities where a truck was involved, 72 percent were the fault of the driver of the other vehicle.
* Mile for mile, truck drivers have an accident rate less than half that of car drivers.
* Each truck pays more than $9,535 per year in taxes.
* Coupled with property taxes, each Virginia truck pays more than $12,088 a year, ranking Virginia 15th highest in the country in truck taxation.
Vannoy's comment about favoring more rail shipments? Well, consider the following:
Trucking serves every community in America, and 77 percent of all communities are served exclusively by trucking and no other freight mode.
There is no doubt that truck traffic has increased on Interstate 81, but the roadway's age and overall traffic volume, coupled with rapid growth in Western Virginia, have strained this interstate to the max.
Widening the interstate is much needed and necessary for our future. The key is that we share our highways, drive within the posted speed limits, drive as conditions dictate and practice defensive driving.
Ed Quinn is executive vice president of Truck Enterprises Roanoke Inc.
LENGTH: Short : 49 linesby CNB