Gurnee Woman Travels To D.C. To Push For Tougher Trucking Laws
WASHINGTON (CBS) -- A suburban woman is using her family's tragedy to lobby Congress for tougher regulation of the trucking industry.
WBBM Newsradio's Regine Schlesinger reports Kate Brown, of Gurnee, said truck safety became her mission after her 35-year-old son Graham was severely injured in 2005, in a crash caused by a drugged trucker who fell asleep at the wheel after partying all night.
Woman Lobbies For Trucking Safety
"My son was just driving down a country road when the truck driver hit him," Brown said.
She said her son was left permanently disabled.
"He'll never be able to use his left arm again, and as a result of the various injuries he's had, he had 22 surgeries," she said.
Brown was on Capitol Hill on Tuesday to push for stricter oversight of trucking, and fighting against efforts to increase the size and weight of trucks allowed on roads.
"In a crash, the severity would be much worse; as well as damage to our infrastructures – bridges, roads," she said.
Working with the Truck Safety Coalition, Brown is telling her son's story to Congress.
