Every year, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance conducts the International Roadcheck, a 72-hour inspection spree of commercial motor vehicles that’s meant to enforce federal CMV safety regulations. Truckers in California should know that the 2020 roadcheck has been set for May 5 to 7: a full month earlier than in previous years. The reason has to do with achieving favorable weather conditions for certain jurisdictions.
Apart from the earlier date, there will be nothing too different in the 2020 spree. Most inspections will be Level I inspections, which are 37-point inspections and the most comprehensive type. For the truck inspection, inspectors will check the braking system, fuel system, tires, suspension, steering, lights and more.
Each International Roadcheck has a special focus, and for 2020, it will be on various driver-related requirements: for example, the right CDL, records of duty status and, where applicable, medical cards. Truckers must also wear their seat belt and comply with rules regarding the use of the electronic logging device.
Those who pass the test get a CVSA decal on their truck while those who fail receive an out-of-service order. In 2019, over 12,000 trucks and 2,700 drivers were placed out of service. About 37% of those drivers were cited for an hours-of-service violation, and about 22% were placed out of service for carrying the wrong class license.
Hours-of-service violations are particularly dangerous: Truckers will exceed the limit they are allowed to work in the effort to meet deadlines, but this makes them tired behind the wheel and all the more likely to cause a crash. Those who are injured by a negligent trucker may want to visit a Costa Mesa truck accident injury compensation law firm to see what their options are for moving forward. A lawyer may assist with filing a claim against the trucking company.
