For the past few years, the Texas Department of Public Safety has set up annual three-day checkpoints for commercial trucks driving throughout our state. That initiative was known this year as Roadcheck 2018. And the results were frightening for drivers statewide.
The trucks were inspected and cited for any safety violations that were found. If the violations were bad enough, the trucks were immediately removed from the road.
Of the 8,000 trucks that were inspected over the course of three days, roughly one in four were charged with safety violations that were severe enough to remove them from service. That means that one in four trucks we see on our Texas highways every day were not up to appropriate safety standards. Many of them had tires that were too worn down or brakes that needed repairing or replacing.
As alarming as that statistic is, what’s even scarier is that it wasn’t unusual – this is in line with the rates of truck violations in previous years. In 2017, 23.6 percent of commercial trucks stopped at a road check were removed from the road for a safety violation. In 2016, that number was 22.5 percent.
The Director of the Texas Department of Public Safety, Steven McCraw, believes these inspections are crucial for ensuring the safety of all drivers on our roads. "The Roadcheck program highlights how essential commercial vehicle compliance and enforcement is to overall highway safety," he said in a statement.
When it comes to trucks, maintenance is key
The law offices of Tracey and Fox applaud this and any other initiative put forth by law enforcement to improve the safety of our roads. While the trucking industry depends on their big rigs, it is vitally important that these vehicles are always properly maintained.
Trucks are too often pushed to their limit. Texas truck accident attorneys know that any vehicle that operates up to 11 hours every day is bound to have some wear and tear. If you or a loved one were injured in an accident involving a large commercial truck that had not been properly maintained, contact us today to schedule a free consultation.