Arkansas Highway Police have released preliminary state totals for all checkpoints in Arkansas during last week’s 2016 International Roadcheck event, according to Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) officials.
The annual three-day event sponsored by the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance calls big-rig safety to the forefront of thought as continuous inspections are conducted over a 72-hour period across The United States, Mexico and Canada. The emphasis this year was on tire safety and included a review of tread depth, air pressure, visible bulges and overall condition.
In Arkansas, Highway Police inspected approximately 637 commercial vehicles across the state that yielded some 1,843 violations. Among these, 149 vehicles were placed out of service until repairs could be made on-site at the inspection station. Sixty-Seven drivers were placed out of service due to a number of violations including one DWI.
In Central Arkansas, Highway Police ran a checkpoint west of the city of Benton on eastbound Interstate 30. All commercial vehicles were required to exit the interstate and roll through the checkpoint that was located on a nearby inspection pad. At this site alone, more than 270 vehicles failed to exit in an attempt to bypass inspection. With help from the Arkansas State Police, these vehicles were immediately pulled over and drivers were issued moving violations. The Arkansas Highway Police is a division of the AHTD.
“We have a great relationship with the trucking industry in Arkansas and know well these drivers are among the best in the country,” stated Arkansas Highway Police Major Jay Thompson. “This annual event is just a highlight of what we do every day to help keep Arkansas highways safe.” Thompson is also the current president of the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance.
In all, there are 11 weigh stations in Arkansas monitoring commercial vehicles entering the state. These stations are supplemented by roving Highway Police units capable of conducting random inspections on any state highway.
