Focusing on commercial motor vehicle safety and homeland security issues, the Ohio State Highway Patrol will participate in Roadcheck 2009, which promotes 72 hours of continuous commercial motor vehicle inspections throughout the United States, Canada and Mexico starting tomorrow and running through June 4.

A primary emphasis of Roadcheck 2009 is to promote both safety and security on North American highways through the inspection of commercial motor vehicles and drivers. Troopers and motor carrier enforcement inspectors will be on the job during the 72-hour period checking vehicles and their drivers. In addition to at least 25 inspection sites along major Ohio highways, roving patrols will inspect vehicles and drivers traveling other highways. Motor carrier enforcement inspectors will also be inspecting other passenger carrying vehicles, including charter busses, as part of the program.

“Although certified safety inspectors perform this work every day on Ohio roads, Roadcheck places a special emphasis on commercial motor vehicle and driver safety issues, including safety belt compliance, aimed at saving lives on Ohio highways,” Colonel Richard H. Collins, superintendent of the Patrol said.

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) sponsors the annual Roadchecks, with participation by state law enforcement agencies, Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, Canadian Council of Motor Transport Administrators, Transport Canada, Pipeline and Hazardous Material Safety Administration, and the Secretariat of Communications and Transportation (Mexico).

During last year's Roadcheck in Ohio, troopers and motor carrier enforcement inspectors conducted 1,784 commercial motor vehicle inspections and issued 3,437 safety violations on Ohio roadways. From those inspections, 431 commercial motor vehicles, and 97 drivers were placed out of service for various violations.