The American Trucking Associations is defending its industry after a former employee penned a New York Times op-ed alleging that large trucks are responsible for an increasing number of fatal crashes on roads.

In the column "The Trucks are Killing Us," freelance writer and former ATA executive Howard Abramson wrote that the death toll in truck-related crashes increased by 17 percent from 2009 to 2013.

One reason for the increase, Abramson argued, was lax federal rules allowing trucking companies to keep drivers on the road for up to 14 hours a day. He noted the crash that seriously injured comedian Tracy Morgan resulted from a truck driver that had been on duty for more than 13 hours.

Abramson also said the U.S. trucking industry has been reluctant to invest in technology that makes trucks safer because of the cost associated with doing so.

"The trucking industry, through its chief trade group, the American Trucking Associations, insists that it needs longer work weeks and bigger vehicles so that more trucks will not be needed on the road, which it says could result in more accidents. That logic is laughable, but Congress seems to be buying it," he said. http://nyti.ms/1hJBVeh

Abramson is the former senior vice president of publications at ATA, where he oversaw the organization's commercial publishing operations. He spent 15 years at the association before leaving last year.

In a published response to the column, ATA CEO Bill Graves acknowledged Abramson's previous employment at the organization, but added the op-ed contained many falsehoods, "both implied and intentional."

"Per the most recent federal data available, upwards of two-thirds of all serious crashes involving large trucks are caused by the actions of someone other than the professional driver," Graves said. "Speeding, impaired driving and other aggressive behaviors by non-commercial drivers cause far more truck crashes than do fatigue or other issues cited by the author."

Graves also argued that truck drivers work 52 hours a week on average.

"At the end of the day, there is no silver bullet, no magic gadget that will make roads entirely safe," he said. "But through education, by reducing crash risk through sound rules, safety technologies and tighter enforcement, we can continue the long-term improvements in truck and highway safety." http://prn.to/1PWWmQ2

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