Ohio has become the first state to require CDL drivers to receive training on preventing and reporting human trafficking.
Starting in January 2016, all new CDL drivers will be required to take a one-hour training course on human trafficking. All other CDL holders will be issued a Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT) wallet card.
The Ohio State Highway Patrol say that engaging truckers in the war against human trafficking is their best chance at fighting back:
“It’s important drivers understand the signs, so they can call when they witness trafficking. It’s also important to educate them on the issue, because my experience has shown that they take the issue serious. Most of the drivers have children of their own. Once they’re made aware of the issue, they tend to become warriors of the cause, spreading the word faster than anything we could ever hope to do in government.”
A recent study reports that Ohio has one of the worst track records for human trafficking in the U.S. Around 1,000 juveniles are forced into the sex trade each year in Ohio alone.
To learn more about how truckers can help fight human trafficking, visit truckersagainsttrafficking.com.
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