RoadCheck 2008

It's Back, and for good reason. To help ensure our fleets are conducting business safely, this years' RoadCheck is set for June 3-5. Make sure your drivers and vehicles are prepared for these official inspections.

You may consider enrolling in a DOT Compliance Seminar prior to June, to make certain your company is ready for such an event. Your fleet safety program may need enhancement in order to meet compliance.

By the way, some safety infractions are considered "Out-of-Service" orders, which will increase your company's Inspection Score (ISS) as well as your "Out-of-Service" rates. Once these are increased enough, you could be facing a full blown DOT Audit known as a "Compliance Review".

Starting on June 3, 2008, and continuing through June 5, approximately 10,000 certified officers will cover the roadways of North America to prevent truck and bus accidents and save lives. This annual program, this year called Roadcheck 2008, federal, state, provincial and local officers will be conducting North American Standard Inspections around the clock for 72 hours.

The inspections involve a comprehensive 37-step procedure which includes items related to vehicle, driver, and cargo safety. Officers will also be giving drivers educational materials on various aspects of commercial vehicle, driver and hazardous materials safety.

Previous statistics indicate that from 2001 to 2003, roadside inspection and traffic enforcement activities on trucks and buses have saved 2241 lives and have helped to avoid 37,424 injuries and 49,126 crashes. Between 1998 and 2003, there was a 48% increase in the number of lives saved from these activities.

Roadcheck is sponsored each year by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), a not-for-profit association of local, state, provincial, and federal officials responsible for the administration and enforcement of truck and bus safety laws in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

For more information on the 2008 event or CVSA activities in general, visit http://www.cvsa.org/.