2007-29
PRESS RELEASE :  June 5 , 2007
FROM:   The Kansas Highway Patrol
CONTACT:   Captain Daniel D. Meyer (785) 296-7189
Lieutenant John A. Eichkorn (785) 296-6800

Kansas Highway Patrol Checking Trucks, Buses

Inspectors spending 72 hours on highways throughout Kansas

Beginning today, Kansas Highway Patrol troopers, safety auditors, and investigators, who are certified by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), will be patrolling Kansas highways as a part of a national enforcement effort. The initiative, designed to place emphasis on the safety of commercial motor vehicles (CMVs), will run 72 consecutive hours and will be held on roads throughout the nation.

CVSA Roadcheck 2007 runs from June 5 through June 7. Kansas officers are part of approximately 10,000 specially-trained and certified officers throughout the nation who will be watching our roadways in an effort to prevent truck and bus crashes and save lives. Now in its 20th year, Roadcheck involves federal, state, provincial, and local inspectors who conduct North American Standard Inspections, which involve 37 comprehensive steps that inspect vehicles, drivers, and cargo. CMV drivers also will be given educational materials on regulations for vehicles, drivers, and hazardous materials safety.

"Studies have shown that drivers, of both large trucks and passenger vehicles, are 10 times more likely to be the cause of a fatal crash involving a large truck than factors, such as weather, road conditions, and vehicle performance," FMCSA Administrator John Hill said. "Everyone can help save lives and make the roads safer by checking their vehicles, learning and obeying the laws, and wearing their safety belts."

Colonel William Seck, Superintendent of the Patrol, said, "The Patrol is dedicated to the safety of all motorists traveling Kansas highways. Roadcheck 2007 is an excellent opportunity to use enforcement and education to promote safety and work toward our overall goal to reduce injuries and deaths associated with motor vehicle crashes."

For more information on Roadcheck 2007, visit www.cvsa.org.