Captain David Pabst,
WisDOT Motor Carrier Enforcement
(608) 266-0305, david.pabst@dot.wi.gov
Roadcheck program strives to prevent large-truck crashes
Intensified commercial motor vehicle enforcement starts June 5
To prevent large-truck crashes, the Wisconsin State Patrol will participate in the annual Roadcheck program from Tuesday, June 5 to Thursday, June 7, sponsored by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA).
During the Roadcheck period, the State Patrol and other agencies throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico will intensify their efforts to increase compliance with all commercial motor vehicle driver and equipment regulations and boost the number of commercial operators who buckle up.
“The Wisconsin State Patrol has highly trained commercial motor vehicle inspectors patrolling highways and stationed at our safety and weight enforcement facilities, also known as weigh stations,” says Captain David Pabst of the Motor Carrier Enforcement Section. “Their mission is to remove unsafe and fatigued commercial drivers from the road and to ensure that all safety equipment on large trucks and other commercial vehicles is operating properly. During Roadcheck, the State Patrol will fortify its commercial motor vehicle inspection and enforcement efforts to save lives and reduce injuries by preventing crashes.”
Last year during the 72-hour Roadcheck period, the State Patrol inspected 723 commercial motor vehicles, including cargo tankers transporting hazardous materials, and identified 2,434 safety violations. As the result of the Roadcheck inspections, 171 commercial motor vehicles and 43 drivers were declared out of service.
A combination of effective law enforcement and safety education has helped improve commercial motor vehicle safety in Wisconsin during the last 10 years. In 2011, large truck crashes declined approximately 25 percent compared with 2002. Moreover, large-truck crash fatalities dropped from 127 in 2002 to 75 in 2011, which was a 41 percent reduction.
