July | 2015 | AnnaLeah & Mary

Two years ago a truck crash killed our two youngest daughters, AnnaLeah (17) and Mary (13).

One year ago, we garnered over 11,000 signatures on a petition asked Secretary Foxx to advance 3 measures to improve factors related to safety on our roads.

We have seen step-by-step progress toward our goals but get concerned when we see signs that a tug of war continues over this life & death battle.

“Two Different THUD Bills Set Up Congressional Showdown on Trucking Issues” http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryId=29323#.VZUr1_lViko

In our AnnaLeah & Mary Stand Up For Truck Safety Petition, we asked for Electronic Logging Devices to be required as soon as possible due to our concern about the impact of Driving While Fatigued (DWF) on truck drivers’ ability to respond in emergency situations (e.g., in work zones or when traffic is backed up due to a crash ahead–as in our case) http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2014-10-01/mom-takes-on-truckers-after-highway-wreck-kills-daughters
Yet, there is still opposition to this method of keeping track of the hours that drivers are behind the wheel (paper log books are a joke, not considered reliable, & never shown to us after our crash).
From that report on the THUD Bills: “The House version also chose not to expedite mandates for electronic logging devices or speed limiters, which – like the insurance issue – are items opposed by OOIDA and small-business truckers but supported by large carriers and the American Trucking Associations.” – See more at: http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryId=29323#.VZUr1_lViko
You’ve got to be kidding!
In our petition, we also asked for increases in minimum liability insurance for truckers–currently at $750,000 for over 35 years.
This, too, is being opposed. Read what that article said, “The House of Representatives has already passed its version of HR2577 for Transportation, Housing and Urban Development (THUD). That occurred on June 9. OOIDA and small-business truckers won a victory in that version because it contained language to prohibit the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration from pursuing an increase to insurance requirements for motor carriers.” – See more at: http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryId=29323#.VZUr1_lViko
At least there is some hope for moving the insurance issue forward, “Specific to the insurance issue, the Senate version says FMCSA may continue pursuing an increase to insurance requirements, but only if the Department of Transportation secretary reports to the Appropriations Committee about the effects of raising the financial responsibility. The report would have to include an assessment of crashes that exceed the damage limits and assess the effects of higher insurance premiums on large and small motor carriers.”While hardly a glowing endorsement for increasing insurance requirements, the Senate version of HR2577 does not prohibit an increase as the House version does.” – See more at: http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryId=29323#.VZUr1_lViko
See what I found out on estimated liability insurance rates if the minimum is raised: https://annaleahmary.com/2015/06/uncovering-new-information-on-trucking-minimum-liability-insurance-rates/

And while I’m at it, here are some other things going on with truck safety:

“Tractor-trailer hitches could be faulty, 6,000 may be in use” http://bigstory.ap.org/article/b9a33284cb604dc79f7e7d8ecd3c18ef/tractor-trailer-hitches-could-be-faulty-6000-may-be-use
“Senator Goes After Reform of FMCSA” http://www.landlinemag.com/Story.aspx?StoryID=29305#.VZUqSPlViko Comment by Steve Bixler

“I applaud Sen. Fischer for her work on this bill. I have been saying for years, and hopefully it can be added to this or another bill soon, that what we need is a panel of veteran truck drivers, not company executives or industry stakeholders, but the actual guy who has his butt in the seat everyday, to oversee and review all existing FMCSA Regs, and also to be a part of all new regulation writing, so we can finally get rules and regs that are actually about safety and not money.”

Something’s wrong with this picture! When will it end?

Let’s make sure that it is not just about $.

And let’s not just point our finger at someone else to take the blame. Let’s figure out what we can do to end this senseless, tragic heartache happening on our roads. Let’s work together.

Our family (with our youngest three) had moved to North Carolina in October 2012– less than a year before the crash occurred in Georgia on our way to family celebrations in Texas. As a result, my last, and freshest, memories of AnnaLeah and Mary are from our time here. So as I was driving around in Rocky Mount yesterday doing errands, for some reason a memory of Mary from the Spring of 2013 popped into my head.

Jerry and Mary and I had taken a short drive just outside the city to see a horse farm. We had talked about the possibility of Mary taking some horse riding lessons there in the upcoming summer. Only it was Sunday and there was no one there to show us around. We drove into the parking area and spent a few minutes watching some of the horses.

While we were driving, I was mending the frayed cuffs of one of Mary’s sweatshirts–her Grandpa’s from his days singing in a Michigan men’s group, the Singing Grandpas. The shirt had the names of all of his grandchildren embroidered on it. I had had a friend add Mary’s name to the shirt when we lived in Texas–because he had gotten the shirt before she was born–and it quickly became one of her favorites.

I finished mending the shirt before we arrived home and handed it to Mary in the back seat. I will never forget the simple but heartfelt gratefulness she expressed for my rescuing her special shirt. I am glad that I took the time to do it for her.

And I am thankful for the clear memory it gives me of her appreciation of that little act of love and, also, of the way she joyfully lived her short life. It is a reminder to me to live life wisely and fully in the present so that in my future I can truly treasure past moments.