STATEHOUSE (Feb. 22, 2010) - Lawmakers today unanimously passed a measure that would require truck drivers to be certified on the proper securement of large metal coils to their rigs before driving on the state’s highways or face tough penalties, State Sen. Brent Steele said.

Senate lawmakers passed House Bill 1084, sponsored Steele (R-Bedford), by a 50-0 vote.

Steel said motivation behind the bill came following the tragic deaths of four Orange County residents who were killed after a metal coil weighing more than 43,000 pounds broke loose from a tractor trailer’s flatbed and slammed into the car. Orange County police reports stated improper load securement was the cause of the accident.

One of the victims, 21-year-old Shannon Steele, was not related to the senator.

“Holding trucking services and their employees accountable to learn the proper load securement techniques for these loads would make the state’s interstates safer,” Steele said. “It is unfortunate that the tragic situation in Orange County prompted the need for this bill, but hopefully the measure can help prevent another fatal accident like this from happening again.”

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) mandates truck drivers to follow load transportation guidelines, Steele said. These regulations mandate trucking companies and their employees to be trained on the proper ways to tie down and transport various forms of oversized cargo.

Steele said he wants to enhance the training process, requiring truck drivers to earn a certification to haul metal coils.

“HB 1084 helps to ensure companies are training their employees on proper load securement and that employees can apply the information before transporting these huge loads on our highways,” Steele said.

Alabama is the first state requiring this type of certification, Steel said. Under Alabama law, drivers who are not certified can be charged with a misdemeanor and fined up to $10,000.

Steele said Indiana’s law would make hauling massive metal coils without proper certification a Class A misdemeanor - a crime punishable by a fine of $5,000 and up to one year in prison.

HB 1084 now moves back to the house for further consideration.     

Steele serves Senate District 44, which includes Lawrence and Jackson counties as well as portions on Monroe, Orange and Washington counties.