St. Petersburg, FL… American Trucking Associations said it was encouraged by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's proposed requirement for electronic stability control (ESC) on large trucks.

NHTSA's proposal would require trucks to use electronic stability control, which could prevent a significant number of large truck crashes.

“Safety is, and always has been, ATA’s highest calling,” ATA President and CEO Bill Graves said here during ATA's annual Leadership Meeting at the Vinoy Renaissance St. Petersburg Golf Club and Resort. “We're encouraged that NHTSA is looking at this important area of truck safety.

“Technology, whether it is ESC, roll stability control or electronic onboard recorders, can help our industry improve on its already impressive safety record,” Graves said.

ATA will closely examine NHTSA's proposal with an eye on providing strong, substantive comments to the agency's docket later this year.