The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance's (CVSA) 29th annual International Roadcheck will take place June 7-9, 2016. International Roadcheck is a 72-hour period when approximately 10,000 CVSA-certified local, state, provincial, territorial and federal inspectors in jurisdictions across North America perform large truck and bus safety inspections.
Each year, International Roadcheck places special emphasis on a category of violations. The special emphasis for 2016 International Roadcheck is tire safety, i.e.:
- measuring the tire tread depth, checking the tire pressure
- checking to make sure no items are lodged between dual tires; and
- examining the overall condition of the tire to ensure no deep cuts or bulges exist in the sidewalls of the tire.
While checking a vehicle’s tires is always part of roadside inspections, CVSA is highlighting tire safety as a reminder to drivers and carriers.
During International Roadcheck, inspectors primarily conduct the North American Standard Level I Inspection, which is the most thorough roadside inspection. It is a 37-step procedure that includes an examination of both the driver and vehicle. Drivers are required to provide items such as their license, endorsements, medical card and hours-of-service documentation, and may be checked for seat belt usage and the use of alcohol and/or drugs.
The vehicle inspection includes checking items such as the braking system, securement of cargo, coupling devices, exhaust system, frame, fuel system, lights, steering mechanism, driveline/driveshaft, suspension, tires, van and open-top trailer bodies, wheels and rims, windshield wipers, and emergency exits on buses.