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Statement of Daphne Izer

Before the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety and Security
Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation - United States Senate - December 19, 2007

Good morning, my name is Daphne Izer and I am the founder of Parents Against Tired Truckers (P.A.T.T.).  P.A.T.T. is a member of the Truck Safety Coalition and my testimony reflects the views and position of our coalition.  I would like to begin by thanking Senator Lautenberg, Ranking Member Smith and the other Members of the Subcommittee on Surface Transportation and Merchant Marine Infrastructure, Safety and Security for inviting me to participate in this critical hearing on the issue of truck driver fatigue and the Hours of Service (HOS) rule.

On October 10, 1993, my life was forever changed.  A truck driver fell asleep at the wheel of his 80,000 pound rig, killing four innocent teenagers.  One of them was my son Jeff.  He and four of his friends were on their way to a hayride and had just pulled into the breakdown lane on the Maine Turnpike when a Wal-Mart truck driver fell asleep at the wheel of his big rig and crashed into my son and his friends.  As a result of this horrific, preventable crash, four beautiful teenagers: Jeff