Congressmen Jesús “Chuy” García (IL-04) and Hank Johnson (GA-04) introduced the Fair Compensation for Truck Crash Victims Act, legislation that would strengthen insurance requirements for interstate motor carriers and protect American families from the financial devastation caused by catastrophic truck crashes. The Fair Compensation for Truck Crash Victims Act proposes two key changes:
• Increasing the minimum insurance requirement for interstate motor carriers from $750,000 to $5,000,000. This outdated figure, which has not changed since 1980, does not reflect rising medical costs and potential losses from serious crashes. The new minimum would reflect the true cost of a tragic truck crash.
• Indexing the new minimum insurance requirement to inflation. This critical provision ensures that financial protection for crash victims does not erode over time, keeping pace with the rising cost of healthcare and other expenses.
“For too long, truck crash victims and their families have been burdened by tremendous emotional and financial consequences, facing a mountain of medical debt and shattered lives,” said Congressman García. “The Fair Compensation for Truck Crash Victims Act is about justice, responsibility, and protecting our communities. It’s time to ensure that trucking companies have adequate insurance to cover the true cost of their actions and prevent families from being financially destroyed by crashes they had no control over.”