Governor Rell Points to

Success of Roadcheck 2009

Three-Day Safety Crackdown Nabs Numerous Violations

            Governor M. Jodi Rell today announced that this year’s Roadcheck 2009 – a comprehensive, three-day truck safety enforcement campaign conducted June 2-4 by the Department of Motor Vehicles, State Police and two local agencies – resulted in hundreds of violations that resulted in vehicles and drivers being taken off the road.

            The final statistics, reflecting activity by the DMV, State Police and Enfield and Manchester police departments over June 2-4:

Total Vehicles Inspected:                                  489

Vehicles Declared Out-of-Service                     153 (31.3 percent)

Drivers Declared Out-of-Service                        70 (14.3 percent)

Tickets Issued                                                  411, for $149,570 in potential fines

            “These numbers are extraordinary,” Governor Rell said. “We are sending a clear message: Connecticut has zero tolerance for unsafe trucks and drivers on our roadways. I thank all of the agencies for their hard work, aggressive action and commitment to this valuable and worthwhile enforcement campaign.

            “Highway safety enforcement is a round-the-clock, year-long effort that is a partnership of state agencies and the trucking industry,” the Governor said. “These numbers demonstrate that we mean business when we say we will get the unsafe trucks and drivers off the road.”

            The Roadcheck 2009 enforcement coincided with a week-long national campaign sponsored by the federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration and the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance. This year, Connecticut has focused on its high-crash areas for commercial vehicles.

            Vehicles were put out of service for violations of state and federal laws. Some of the problems officials found included faulty brakes, cracked frames, securing of cargo, lighting, suspension systems and tires.

            Driver out-of-service violations included no log book; falsified or out-of-date log book; operating in violation of the limit on hours allowed; and driving without a license or a proper license for the type of vehicle being operated.