Safety advocates are renewing calls for stronger trucking regulations after a ProPublica investigation examined Georgia Congressman and U.S. Senate candidate Mike Collins’ trucking business safety record.

ProPublica found that over the past 25 years, crashes involving truckers working for the family business have killed five people and injured more than 50 others. Meanwhile, Collins has pushed to revoke commercial driver's licenses from noncitizens.

Zach Cahalan, executive director at the Truck Safety Coalition, said the focus should be on proven safety technology, not citizenship status.

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"One being speed kills. We know 20% of fatal crashes occur at speeds 70-plus miles an hour," he said. "The technology to limit the maximum speed of large trucks has been available for 20-plus years, off the lot and not required to be used."

Cahalan noted that speed-limiting technology has long been required in Europe to save lives. Collins has opposed federal rules requiring speed limiters on trucks, arguing that speed limit signs and insurance companies are sufficient deterrents.

ProPublica's analysis found that Collins' business has a higher rate of unsafe driving and speeding violations per mile than the majority of trucking companies with substantial mileage. An interview request was sent to Collins Trucking Co. but no response was received.

Cahalan said another proven technology could dramatically reduce fatalities.

"Automatic emergency braking would be another one," he said. "I believe the article mentions that technology is a game changer. It is poised to do the greatest good, to cut in half, roughly, the number of fatalities that occur when a large truck strikes the rear of a passenger vehicle."

Collins has called automatic emergency braking "very expensive" and claimed the technology "doesn't work that well," positions at odds with the American Trucking Associations – the industry's largest trade group. The Trump administration has delayed a proposed mandate for the technology.