Governor Rell Orders State Police, DMV

Crack-Down on Trucks in Response to Recent Crashes

            Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that she has directed State Police and the Department of Motor Vehicles to conduct an intense crackdown on unsafe truckers on Connecticut highways – especially those exhibiting dangerous practices such as following too closely, logging too many hours, making unsafe lane changes and speeding.

            The action comes after yet another big-rig crash – apparently caused when the driver fell asleep – and follows an analysis, ordered by the Governor last month, of a rash of recent high-profile truck accidents since April that closed highways and snarled rush-hour traffic for hours. Those crashes included three major wrecks between July 6 and July 10 on Interstates 84 and 91. In most cases, the State Police found, the accidents were related to unsafe lane changes and excessive speed – conditions that caused truck drivers to lose control.

            This will be a total effort by State Police using all of 500 troopers assigned to the troops as well as the 24 members of the traffic squad and the DMV truck squad.

            “This has been a summer of record heat and humidity – and record truck crashes,” Governor Rell said. “It seems like tractor-trailer crashes are happening every week on our highways, inconveniencing our commuters and imperiling innocent drivers. Moreover, they are happening in clear, dry weather and in light or moderate traffic conditions – and that means one of the biggest contributing factors is high-risk behavior by truck drivers.

            “A truck driver too tired to drive is a truck driver who does not belong behind the wheel,” the Governor said. “Truck drivers who speed, makes unsafe lane changes or tailgate should take their unsafe habits elsewhere: Connecticut will not tolerate them.

            “The crashes in July, like the one this morning, cause enormous traffic tie-ups for hours, creating problems for travelers and commuters,” Governor Rell said. “They also threaten to injure other motorists. People in Connecticut are simply fed up with dangerous driving.

            “The vast majority of truck drivers are safe and courteous professionals who take their job – and their responsibilities – very seriously,” the Governor said. “Those who do not are going to be meeting officers from the State Police and the DMV’s truck enforcement unit under some very uncomfortable conditions.”

            This morning, a tractor-trailer carrying a load of candy jack-knifed on Interstate 84 near Southbury, snarling traffic and closing all eastbound lanes of the highway. State Police say it appears the truck driver fell asleep.

            The State Police analysis ordered by Governor Rell examined 14 crashes between April 10 and July 10 that involved trucks and resulted in road closures. Two of the incidents resulted in fatalities (in both cases, someone other than the truck driver) and more than a dozen people were injured as a result of the other crashes.

            Drivers of the trucks were not always identified as the “at-fault” party – investigations remain open in two cases – but in nine of the 14 cases truck drivers were cited for such unsafe practices as speeding, unsafe movement or following too closely.