Press Release

January 11, 2001

Karen Burger, CPCU, CPIW
Phone: (610) 644-2100, ext. 7805 Fax: (610) 644-7629
E-mail: burgerk@cpcuiia.org

MALVERN, Pa. A recent survey of Americans conducted by the Insurance Research Council (IRC) found that a majority of the public (57 percent) believes that increasing from 10 to 12 the number of hours a truck driver is allowed to drive with no break is unsafe. More than half (56 percent) said they would be willing to pay more for goods and shipping to have truckers total working hours reduced to no more than 12 hours per day. Eighteen percent of Americans were willing to pay 1 percent more, another 18 percent would pay 3 percent more, 12 percent would pay 5 percent more, and 8 percent were willing to pay 10 percent or more for goods and shipping to limit truck drivers to working no more than 12 hours per day.

Six in ten Americans reported seeing a large truck being operated in an unsafe manner "frequently," "fairly often," or "sometimes." Most (81 percent) oppose allowing bigger tractor-trailers on the road, which would increase the trucking industry’s efficiency but would be harder to control and potentially threatening to highway safety.

"Highway safety is a big concern to the American public," according to Elizabeth A. Sprinkel, Senior Vice President, who heads the IRC. "People not only support regulations that promote truck-driving safety, but they are also willing to pay for them."

The results contained in IRC's recently released report, Public Attitude Monitor 2000, Issue 3, are based on a survey conducted by Roper Starch Worldwide. The survey consisted of telephone interviews with 1,000 men and women 18 years old and older. Survey participants were selected to be representative of the population of the continental U.S. Interviews were conducted September 6 through 14, 2000. The sampling error is plus or minus three percentage points. The survey also addressed attitudes towards cellular phones and driving.

For more detailed information on the study’s methodology and findings, contact Elizabeth Sprinkel by phone at (610) 644-2212, ext. 7568; by fax at (610) 640-5388; or by e-mail at irc@cpcuiia.org. Or visit IRC's Web site at www.ircweb.org. Copies of the study are available at $10 each in the U.S. ($20 elsewhere) postpaid from the Insurance Research Council, 718 Providence Rd., Malvern, Pa. 19355-0725. Phone: (610) 644-2212, ext. 7569. Fax: (610) 640-5388.

NOTE TO EDITORS: The Insurance Research Council is a division of the American Institute for CPCU and the Insurance Institute of America. The Institutes are independent, nonprofit organizations dedicated to providing educational programs, professional certification, and research for the property and liability insurance business. The IRC provides timely and reliable research to all parties involved in public policy issues affecting insurance companies and their customers. The IRC does not lobby or advocate legislative positions. It is supported by leading property and liability organizations.