Durbin calls for federal probe of Aurora crash

WASHINGTON–Sen. Dick Durbin D-Ill. on Thursday called for federal probe into Monday’s terrible crash on I-88 in Aurora.

Durbin, in a letter to FMCSA’s Administrator Anne Ferro, asked “the agency to determine if the driver or his employer, DND International, violated rules limiting the number of hours a driver can be on the road and to take steps to ensure that every trucking company is complying with the law.

“I am writing to request your assistance in investigating the fatal crash that occurred this Monday on I-88 in Aurora, Illinois,” Durbin wrote. “According to press reports, the driver… was on the road for over 30 hours and may have slept as little as four hours. The driver is now facing charges of operating a commercial motor vehicle while impaired or fatigued, making a false report of record and duty status, and driving beyond the current hours allowed by law.”

“The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration has the authority and the responsibility to investigate incidents like the one this week in Illinois and I urge you to quickly and fully investigate this accident.”

“Furthermore, I hope you will look into any other similar incidents and take the necessary steps to ensure that every trucking company takes these federal rules seriously and is doing everything possible to prevent the kind of dangerous driving behavior that may have contributed to the tragedy in Chicago on Monday.”