Annual International Roadcheck campaign to focus on cargo safety

Motorists in California are more likely to see trucks and buses being pulled over between June 8 and June 10 during the annual International Roadcheck safety campaign. The initiative is organized each year by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance. The nonprofit group says that about 15 commercial vehicles will be inspected each minute during the 72-hour-long effort. Federal inspectors will be looking for violations of federal safety regulations, and commercial vehicles that pose a threat to the safety of other road users are likely to be ordered out of service.

During International Roadcheck in 2016, inspectors conducted 42,236 North American Standard Level I inspections and ordered 9,080 commercial trucks off the road. The focus of the effort a year ago was truck and bus braking systems, and almost half of the out of service orders were issued due to brake-related citations. Truck drivers were most commonly prevented from continuing on their journeys because of hours of service violations, according to the CVSA.

Cargo safety is the focus of this year's International Roadcheck initiative. The CVSA says that the goal of the safety push is to encourage compliance, and the organization has produced a flyer to help truck drivers and commercial vehicle operators avoid citations. The flyer explains the importance of cargo tie-downs and the dangers posed by shifting loads.

Truck operators are expected to abide by federal rules and make all reasonable efforts to protect the public. These drivers could face both civil and criminal sanctions when their reckless actions cause accidents and injuries. Attorneys representing truck accident victims may check the citations handed out by commercial vehicle inspectors to find out if trucking companies have acted negligently in the past.