Contact Senator Bill Monning

On July 10, 2014, the McGuire family needlessly lost their son Daniel in a horrific accident which occurred on California State Highway 17. This tragedy occurred because numerous companies failed to take steps to ensure that an unskilled trucker driving a faulty big rig not be allowed to traverse over a treacherous mountain highway.

Daniel and other motorists traveling on Highway 17 that fateful day had no clue that a tractor/ double trailer configuration with faulty braking mechanisms carrying nearly 50 thousand pounds of top soil was being driven by a newly licensed and unskilled truck driver.

Stand with us and tell our elected officials to make our roads safer by:

implementing a new federal rule on entry-level commercial driver training, as well as adding additional behind-the-wheel requirements to ensure commercial vehicle drivers acquire the skills necessary to safely operate commercial vehicles..

This country needs at least 30,000 more truck drivers at the moment and the industry estimates it must hire 100,000 drivers every year for the next 10 years if it hopes to keep up with retirements, turnover and industry growth.

With the large number of new truck drivers placing motorists at risk, it will be up to individual states to implement safe on-the-road commercial driver training requirements that comply with new Federal standards. Current California law only requires that you take and pass your CDL knowledge (written) and skills (driving) tests, allowing anyone to get a license in less than two weeks.

In Daniel’s memory, please let Senator Monning’s office know that  you want to make our roads safer b=by ensuring that only well trained commercial drivers are allowed to navigate them.

Send your letter of support for SB158 to:

Senator Bill Monning
State Capitol Room 313
Sacramento, CA 95814

 

20 comments on “Contact Senator Bill Monning”

  1. Amayah Carey Reply

    Because this shouldn’t of happened. And it definitely shouldn’t happen again.

  2. Elaine Rico Reply

    Please pass Daniel’s Law, keep our highways safe with well trained, adequately insured, and high experienced truck drivers.

  9. Frances Farmer Reply

    Please change the law so that only skilled and properly trained persons are driving Big Rigs, putting and unskilled driver at the wheel is very dangerous.

  11. Pamela Easton Reply

    I drive Hwy 17 almost daily – it’s an attrocity that something hasn’t been done, and that it takes how many fatalities to get officials to look at a problem. This should have never happened. Big rigs don’t belong on that road in the first place during commuter hours. To realize the insurance and training is far below minimum standards makes me feel we are living in a third world country.

  13. ellen Sevy Reply

    I saw this accident. I was on the southbound side of the freeway.
    the images still haunt me
    Pass Daniels law and everyone please slow down.
    thank you

  14. Diana Taylor Reply

    The tragic accident should never have happened if big rig trucking companies were made to be considerate of other drivers on the road.
    Hwy 17 is THE most notorious death trap for drivers in the Santa Cruz / San Jose area. There simply is no reason or excuse for faulty safety measures
    Lets put pressure on the powers that be to ONCE and for all FIX highway 17 so that we can all consider it a safe passage from one place to another.
    The pain and anguish this has caused can not be measured. Robbed from is young life and loving family much too soon. Just starting out in life
    and snatched away. A FATHER grieves, A mother grieves, a sister grieves , friend and other family members will never recover from this senseless loss.
    He was just going to work one morning …..like we all do. ALL of SANTA CRUZ county should sign this petition….although it will not bring him back …..maybe
    just maybe it will prevent another family from the unspeakable pain of losing a loved one.
    TELL everyone you know to sign this petition for ALL OF US

  15. Doug McGuire Reply

    I miss my son every day. The least we can do is try to save a few lives by making our roads safer.

  16. Jeannie Collins Reply

    Safety First! We can all use more training and have a solid reliable standard for training truck drivers is certainly a good start in increasing awareness. Realtors are required to have continued education. Drivers should too. This tragedy should never have happened. Driving on the 17 regularly we are aware of how demanding the task is to drive it. Not a job for amateurs.

  17. Jeannie Collins Reply

    Safety First! We can all use more training and have a solid reliable standard for training truck drivers is certainly a good start in increasing awareness. Realtors are required to have continued education. Drivers should too. This tragedy should never have happened. Driving on Hwy 17 is demanding. Not a job for amateurs.

  18. Alison Wright Reply

    I am heartbroken by this tradegy and Daniel you were a bright light in this world. I agree that proper training is mandatory and difficulty of the road is the upmost of importance. I have commuted 17 since 1996 and have often thought the hours that they allow carpools are the only hours that Big Rigs should be unable to use 17…6-9 am and 4-7 pm weekdays. Obviously there are special reasons trucks need to be on 17 so why not allow those people to get a permit from the CHP and prove experience and truck safety before allowed…during the heaviest traffic times…

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