House Passes Bill Forcing Carriers to Report Accidents

A bill that recently cleared the House decrees that Postal Service contractors must report any crash that results in injury or death. 

The Mail Traffic Deaths Reporting Act was approved May 6 by a voice vote. The measure, introduced March 5 by Rep. Gerald Connolly (D-Va.), requires this reporting to be done within three days of the incident. 

If a crash isn’t reported in that timeframe, the contractor would be “subject to appropriate penalties ... including fines, suspension of contracts or termination of contracts.” 

USPS would also be expected to maintain an internal database of all reported incidents and release an annual public report of them under the bill. 

In a statement, Connolly said he was thrilled by the measure’s progress. 

“For too long, the Postal Service has taken an ‘out of sight, out of mind’ approach to truck safety,” stated Connolly. “This legislation is about saving lives and protecting families on our nation’s roads.” 

The legislation now moves to the Senate.