Nashville, Tennessee --- The Tennessee Highway Patrol conducted an Industry Day Roadside Inspection event Wednesday, April 16, 2008, in conjunction with the Tennessee Trucking Association. The effort was aimed at educating the industry on commercial vehicle safety and enforcement. More than 100 industry representatives participated in Wednesday’s Industry Day event.

During roadside inspections at the I-24 brake-check area on Monteagle Mountain in Marion County, 12 of the 41 commercial vehicles were placed out-of-service. The 29 percent out-of-service rate is above the national average out-of-service rate of 20 percent.

“This was the first roadside inspection industry event of 2008, but it won’t be the last,” said Department of Safety Commissioner Dave Mitchell. “The Tennessee Highway Patrol conducts commercial vehicle inspections on a regular basis to ensure that trucks are operating safely as they travel through Tennessee.”

Three drivers were placed out-of-service, and one was removed for operating without a commercial driver license (CDL). During the five-hour inspection period, a total of 2,310 trucks were observed through the brake- check area, with 41 undergoing Level 1 and Level 2 inspections.

THP Colonel Mike Walker stated, “Roadside inspection events like these stress the importance of safety while building a stronger working relationship between the Tennessee Highway Patrol and Tennessee Trucking Association members.”

Statistics from the Roadside Inspection are below.

ROADSIDE INSPECTION FACT SHEET

• Tennessee Highway Patrol observed 2,310 commercial vehicles
• Conducted 41 Level 1 & Level 2 inspections
• Out-of-Service Vehicles—12 (29%)
• Out-of-Service Drivers—3 (7.2%)
• Out-of-Service Safety Defects—21
• Total Safety Defects—86
• 23 K-9 walk-around checks for explosives—No hits
• One Driver Removed for operating without a commercial driver license (CDL)

The Tennessee Department of Safety's mission is (www.tn.gov/safety) to ensure the safety and general welfare of the public. The department encompasses the Tennessee Highway Patrol, Office of Homeland Security and Driver License Services. General areas of responsibility include law enforcement, safety education, motorist services and terrorism prevention.