The annual International Roadcheck inspection blitz will come to highways in Pennsylvania and across the country on June 4. Every year, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance conducts a high-profile series of inspections to highlight the dangers of poor truck maintenance on the road. Poorly maintained trucks that violate safety rules can lead to drivers losing control and causing severe car accidents, with the attendant injuries and fatalities. Truck accidents can be especially devastating to others on the road in smaller trucks and passenger cars.
The three-day 2019 Roadcheck will focus in particular on steering and suspension systems. The safety association noted that large trucks rely on well-maintained systems to stay on the road, haul their cargo safely and prevent problems with tires, brakes and other equipment. While steering and suspension is a focus for the three-day program, inspectors focus on the entire vehicle as well as the driver in these intensive, Level I inspections. Trucks are inspected for cargo security, brake maintenance, lighting systems, tire quality and other potential issues. In addition, driver safety credentials are checked. CMV operators must present logs, commercial driver’s licenses and medical certificates.
Safety officials noted that while the Roadcheck program raises the profile of truck inspections, the actual safety standards are consistent throughout the year. The program aims to reduce truck crashes by alerting truckers and the industry to unsafe vehicles on the road. As part of the 2018 72-hour Roadcheck program, 12,000 trucks were ordered off the road due to safety violations.
When trucks are not well maintained, they can cause serious damage. Others on the road are at particular danger from poorly managed trucks due to their size, weight and mass. An individual who has been injured in a trucking accident can work with a personal injury lawyer to seek compensation for their damages.