Truckers, vehicles placed out of service during Roadcheck 2016

Kentucky motorists who share the nation’s roadways with trucks and other large commercial vehicles may be interested in knowing that 9,080 trucks and 1,436 drivers were placed out of service during the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s 2016 edition of its 72-hour International Roadcheck campaign. According to the CVSA, numbers were down from the previous year’s figures with percentage totals in 2016 representing new record lows for the annual safety event.

The three-day campaign was held in June, and the numbers were released by the non-profit association on Oct. 20, 2016. Brake violations topped the list of vehicle-related OOS orders that were issued during the event, and they accounted for almost half of the noted safety violations in this category. Other notable violations included tires and wheels, lighting devices and cargo securement. Suspensions, frames, steering mechanisms, driveshaft, fuel systems, coupling devices and exhaust systems rounded out the bottom of the list with each accounting for less than 5 percent of all vehicle-related OOS orders that were issued during the campaign.

The largest percentage of driver-related OOS orders related to hours of service violations followed by improper logs, improper endorsement and disqualified driver. Drugs and alcohol violations caused 1 percent of drivers to be placed out of service, a percentage that was down from 2.1 percent in 2015. The Roadcheck campaign also addressed hazmat violations, which resulted in 13 percent of trucks hauling hazardous materials being placed out of service.

In spite of CVSA’s annual effort to improve commercial motor vehicle safety and uniformity, truck accidents may continue to occur on Kentucky highways and cause serious injuries to occupants of other vehicles. If it can be demonstrated that the collision was the fault of a truck driver who was impaired, distracted, or sleepy after being on the road for too many consecutive hours, a personal injury attorney could assist in seeking compensation for an injured victim.