ARLINGTON, VA — The American Trucking Associations (ATA) “praised” new measures proposed by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) to reduce impaired driving. The ATA is also calling for the Department of Transportation (DOT) to allow mandatory hair samples in standard drug tests.

Today the NTSB released new recommendations to improve road safety and reduce impaired driving. These recommendations include reducing the legal limit for drunk driving to a BAC level of 0.05 instead of 0.08, increasing the use of interlock devices, stronger penalties for repeat offenders, and an increase in high-visibility enforcement. 

The ATA supports all of the measures put forth by the NTSB.

“All motorists should support reducing the instances of impaired driving” Graves said. “The trucking industry is held, and holds itself, to a higher standard and we are encouraged by NTSB’s recommendations to bolster efforts to reduce drunk and drugged driving for all motorists.”

ATA President and CEO Bill Graves wrote to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood yesterday urging the DOT to move forward on a process that allows carriers to collect hair samples for the mandatory drug testing, instead of the current urine testing method.

“All we are asking is for DOT to allow this industry to use the best available tools under the DOT-mandated drug and alcohol testing program to make sure our roads are safe for all motorists,” said Graves.