CVSA Releases Roadcheck Results
The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance released results from its Roadcheck 2007 truck safety inspection program held last month, citing higher levels of hours of service violations but improvements in safety belt use among drivers.
Among drivers, 93.8% passed inspection, with 6.2% placed out of service, up from 5.6% last year, CVSA said.
For hazardous materials drivers, 96.5% passed inspection, and 3.5% were placed out of service, up from 3%.
CVSA said it was the highest driver out of service rate since 1999, but said safety belt violations were down significantly from a year ago. Safety belt violations during the June 5-7 enforcement period fell to 829, from 1,223 last year.
For vehicles, 78.5% passed and 21.5% were placed out of service, compared with 21.7% last year. For hazmat vehicles, 82.3% passed inspection, while 17.7% were placed out of service, down from 18.2% last year.
American Trucking Associations said the results showed the trucking industry was making some improvements in safety.
“Safety on the nation’s highways and the safety of the motoring public continue to be the top priorities of the trucking industry,” Graves said. “ATA supports the removal of unsafe trucks from the road [and] CVSA continues to become better at targeting those drivers and vehicles that should be out of operation.”
The Roadcheck inspections were not performed at random. Trucks and drivers were targeted for inspection based upon the safety record or previous inspection records of the motor carrier or the driver, or upon the observation skills of the trained inspectors, ATA said.
CVSA represents law enforcement personnel who conduct truck safety inspections in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
“The strength of Roadcheck is in its partnerships,” said John Hill, administrator of the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, whose inspectors worked with CVSA on the Roadcheck program.
“We are pleased to see a growing number of municipalities throughout North America participating in Roadcheck,” Hill said. “Car drivers, however, must continue to do their part in helping to keep roads safe by driving carefully at all times — particularly near or around large commercial vehicles.”
