Captain Jason Berry
Government and Media Relations
(360) 596-4010 – office
(360) 596-4015 – fax
http://www.wsp.wa.gov
*** For Immediate Release***
Date:
October 5, 2010
Contact:
Dan Coon
Phone:
360-596-4012
E-mail:
dan.coon@wsp.wa.gov
WSP Recognized for Lowering Truck-Related Deaths
The Washington State Patrol’s Commercial Vehicle Division has forged strong partnerships with the trucking industry, federal, state, and local agencies that have led to a decrease in the number of truck-related deaths from 58 in 2008 to 29 in 2009. In recognition of their efforts, the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators and the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration awarded the State Patrol with the 2010 Commercial Vehicle Safety Award.
This decrease in truck-related deaths fits into the recent announcement by the U.S. Department of Transportation that in 2009, the total number of fatalities involving large trucks nationwide has decreased by 20% from 4,542 in 2008 to 3,380 in 2009.
So far, in the first six months of 2010, the State Patrol has seen a continued decrease number of deaths. There were seven deaths in 2010 as compared to 10 during the same time in 2009.
“This is not just the work of the State Patrol; this decrease in the number of deaths is because of our relationship with the industry and our partner agencies even as we continue to see a increase truck traffic on our roads,” said Washington State Patrol Chief John R. Batiste.
The State Patrol and its partners employ a number of safety programs to reduce the amount of truck collisions. Programs like Ticketing Aggressive Cars and Trucks (TACT) that focuses on enforcement and education of motorists about the dangers of unsafe driving around large trucks, and Operation Safe Driver a program directed at the enforcement, inspection, and driver education of commercial vehicle drivers.
The State Patrol will also target ‘hotspots’ or high collisions areas within the state with inspection and emphasis patrols by its Commercial Vehicle Division Strike Force. The Strike Force is a federally funded program made up of 16 Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Officers (CVEO) and Troopers. The Strike Force will saturate an area for up to three days conducting safety inspections on the trucks, speed emphasis patrols, and targeting aggressive drivers around the big rigs.
“When determining hotspots we rely on the local supervisors because they are very in tune with what’s happening and the problems in their local areas,” said Captain Darrin Grondel, Commercial Vehicle Division Commander.
The Commercial Vehicle Division also conducts Operation Open Scale, where once a quarter all the CVEO’s and inspectors will open all the operational truck scales. There are 53 scales in the state that CVD could open and typically 48 to 51 scales are opened during these operations.
“We open the scales at varying hours throughout the day,” said Grondel. “Our CVD Officers are out working the scales doing weighing, vehicle inspections, and reviewing log books and driver qualification.”
A recent program starting in June 2009, which required intrastate carriers to receive a DOT number, has created a level playing field for interstate and intrastate carriers when it comes to safety and service inspections. Intrastate carriers are companies that transport goods only within the state. This program has created the ability for CVD to see a carrier’s safety records in greater detail and to focus on those carriers who have numerous out-of-service violations. Prior to this change, the Patrol had no way to track their safety data. Carriers who come from out-of-state, their safety and inspection records have been tracked for years.
For more information about the WSP’s Commercial Vehicle Division, go to wsp.wa.gov, and for more information about the federal response to commercial vehicle safety, go to Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Web site at fmcsa.dot.gov.