Over 9,000 vehicles and 2,000 drivers were placed out of service during the CVSA Roadcheck 2024 inspections.
During this year's International Roadcheck from May 14-16, enforcement personnel across Canada, Mexico, and the US performed 48,761 inspections on commercial motor vehicles. The majority, 77% of vehicles and 95.2% of drivers, were found to be compliant with no out-of-service (OOS) violations.
However, inspectors did identify and address several issues, including 13,567 vehicle violations (a 20% increase from Roadcheck 2023), 2,714 driver violations, and 163 hazardous materials/dangerous goods (HM/DG) violations. As a result, 9,345 vehicles and 2,290 drivers were placed out of service. The overall out-of-service rates were 23% for vehicles and 4.8% for drivers.
Below, we dive into what contributed to these vehicle and driver violations.
Company CSA Scores Determined Truck Inspections
To select which trucks would go through a complete inspection, the DMV’s Commercial Vehicle Information Exchange Window (CVIEW) system identified new rigs with companies that hadn’t been previously selected for an inspection, older companies that were overdue, and trucks working on behalf of companies that had poor safety scores.
We’ve covered these safety scores on the Foley blog before, and if you’re not sure what they mean, it’s worth brushing up on them.
FREE CSA Scores Webinar: The Secrets to Risk Prevention for 2024
A single violation stays on your CSA record for two years, and it can therefore impact your safety score for a long time. Being proactive with your safety measures, including hiring smarter and tracking your score, can significantly improve your chances of having fewer violations and a better CSA score.
The Majority of Driver Violations Stemmed from Breaking DOT Hours of Service Rules
Hours of service was the number one Roadcheck 2024 driver violation category. There were 870 violations cited, which made up 32.1% of total driver violations.
Need a refresher on the hours-of-service rules? This Foley article can help your drivers stay compliant: Compliance Review: FMCSA Hours-of-Service Rules.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration estimates about 100,000 police-reported, drowsy-driving crashes cause nearly 800 fatalities and about 50,000 injuries annually. Safety managers and dispatchers should often remind drivers of DOT hours-of-service rules to avoid violations and keep them safe on the road.
Brake System Issues Continue to Plague Trucks
Numerous CVSA Roadcheck inspectors cited 5,873 combined brake systems violations this year, accounting for 25% of vehicle Roadcheck violations in North America.
The key takeaway from this portion of Roadcheck inspections? Remember to regularly inspect and maintain your fleet's vehicles to ensure the brakes and other mechanical components are working properly.
Safety & DOT Compliance Doesn’t Stop After CVSA Roadcheck Inspections
The annual CVSA Roadcheck inspection event reminds us that it’s important to take the violations highlighted every year seriously. These are real drivers on the roads committing these offenses, which should encourage others to practice safer driving habits and put forth better compliance efforts for the rest of the year — and beyond.
If you’re one of the many companies that were caught with driver or vehicle violations during the Roadcheck 2024 inspection blitz, Foley can help you recover your safety rating that may have been impacted by these violations.
Our compliance experts can guide you through what it means to be truly DOT-compliant by avoiding DOT violations and expensive fines in the future. With Dash, our exclusive software solution, you never have to second-guess your compliance with federal regulations.
Want to check it out for yourself? Get your free demo today.
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