Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA) has asked the U.S. Transportation Secretary to block the creation of a pilot program that would allow drivers under 21 to operate large commercial trucks. "While I understand the importance of the trucking industry to the U.S. economy, the safety of the traveling public must be put first," Wolf wrote in a July 26 letter to Transportation Secretary Norm Mineta. "I am very concerned about such a move and ask that you take action to prevent it."

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration is considering a pilot program that would lower the age requirement for getting a commercial driver's license to operate large trucks from 21 to 18.

"Statistics show that drivers in the 18-20-year-old age group are three times as likely to be involved in a fatal crash as drivers over 21," Wolf wrote, citing a University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute report.