Paulsen backs truck-driver safety bill

Rep. Erik Paulsen is backing a bill that would make highways safer for truck drivers. On Tuesday, Paulsen announced his support of “Jason’s Law,” which would create more and safer rest areas for truckers. The bill has pulled in the support of four Republicans and 32 Democrats.

The bill is named after New York driver Jason Rivenburg, who was robbed and then murdered for $7 while resting at an abandoned gas station in South Carolina en route to deliver a truckload of milk. He stopped at the station because there were no other available rest areas.

“Our economy hinges greatly on the ability to move goods in a safe, efficient and timely manner,” Paulsen stated at a press conference on Tuesday. “A critical piece of that is ensuring the safety of the men and women who move these goods every day.”

A Senate version of the bill has been introduced by Democratic Sen. Charles Schumer of New York.

Jason’s Law’s aims:

* Constructing safety rest areas that include parking for commercial motor vehicles.
* Constructing commercial motor vehicle parking facilities adjacent to commercial truck stops and travel plazas.
* Opening existing facilities to commercial motor vehicle parking, including inspection and weigh stations and park-and-ride facilities.
* Promoting the availability of publicly or privately provided commercial motor vehicle parking on the National Highway System using intelligent transportation systems and other means.
* Constructing turnouts along the National Highway System for commercial motor vehicles.
* Making capital improvements to public commercial motor vehicle parking facilities currently closed on a seasonal basis.
* Improving the geometric design of interchanges on the National Highway System to improve access to commercial motor vehicle parking facilities.