Don’t let Congress put heavier, more dangerous semis on Missouri highways | Opinion

As the oldest and largest association of law enforcement personnel in Missouri, the Missouri Peace Officers Association strives to ensure the public safety of our officers and the communities we serve. These efforts include advocacy against legislation that we deem a threat to Missourians. And right now, Congress is considering enacting laws that would allow much larger — and much more dangerous — tractor trailers on the nation’s highways.

As first responders, many of our members have witnessed the tragic outcome of large semitruck crashes. Key factors that determine the severity of a crash are vehicle velocity and mass. The potential severity of truck crashes increases as their weight increases, thereby boosting the likelihood that injuries will be more serious or result in fatalities.

With the benefit of decades of safety research and numerous studies, the science is crystal clear: A heavier truck is not a safer truck.

The 2016 U.S. Department of Transportation Comprehensive Truck Size and Weight Limits Study Report outlined serious safety concerns with heavier trucks. Trucks that are 91,000 pounds and greater have a 47% to 400% higher crash rate than 80,000-pound trucks, in limited state testing.

In addition, trucks over 80,000 pounds have an 18% increase in brake violations. According to a 2016 study by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, large trucks with out-of-service violations such as brake violations are 362% more likely to be involved in a crash.

The most recently available data from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration paints a grim picture. In 2023, there were 5,086 large truck crashes in Missouri resulting in 120 fatalities and 2,108 injuries. Over the 10-year period between 2013 and 2023, truck crash fatalities rose by 41% in Missouri. Considering this dangerous trend, we shouldn’t even be considering putting more dangerous trucks on the road.

No truck trip begins or ends on the interstate system. In fact, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, 44% of truck traffic operates off the interstates today. Heavier trucks will start and continue onto local and state roads to make deliveries or accomplish their “first-last mile of travel.” In Missouri, our local roads are often narrow, two-lane roads without a shoulder that were not built for this size of a vehicle. Trucks traveling on these roads as well as those that end up in residential areas would put public safety in jeopardy.

A priority of this Congress is passing the next surface transportation reauthorization before the September 2026 expiration. This new infrastructure bill will be used to fund roads and bridges across the country. Unfortunately, those in favor of bigger and heavier trucks are gearing up to add language raising truck size and weight limits.

The law enforcement members of my organization join law enforcement groups across the country in voicing our concerns and opposition to this legislation because of the public safety consequences associated with bigger and heavier trucks. One additional fatality is one too many. Legislation should never gamble with the lives of law enforcement, emergency responders or motorists. Protecting the public should always be the priority.

We strongly encourage that our Missouri congressional delegation join our efforts to save lives by opposing all legislation increasing semitruck size and weights.

Bob Ronkoski is executive director of the 501(c)(4) nonprofit Missouri Peace Officers Association.