The commercial enforcement week the Missouri State Highway Patrol (MSHP) conducted earlier in September was a success. The Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division of the MSHP conducted a Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP) Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Week the week of September 12, 2011. MSHP's Troop D, headquartered in Springfield Missouri focused their efforts in counties with high truck accident numbers such as Greene, Lawrence, Newton and Jasper. The purpose of enforcement weeks such as this one is to reduce the number of commercial truck accidents, and the related fatalities and injuries, through aggressive enforcement, education, and safety inspections.
Over three days during the week of September 12, MSHP's commercial vehicle enforcement troopers conducted 381 commercial vehicle inspections. During the inspections the troopers look for mechanical safety and maintenance issues. They inspect brakes, tires, and other mechanical elements as well as check for proper licensing and paperwork for the driver, the commercial vehicle and the cargo. The inspection includes weighing the trucks to make sure they are not overloaded and checking that things such hazardous materials requirements are met. And MSHP also patrols and watches for driver safety and traffic violations on the road.
Missouri State Highway Patrol Results of MCSAP Enforcement
- 1,200 violations discovered.
- 113 vehicles placed out of service.
- 24 drivers removed from service.
- 210 citations issued.
Benefits of MCSAP Enforcement Week in Missouri
The extra effort put in by MSHP not only takes unsafe commercial vehicles and unsafe drivers from the roads, they eliminate a large potential for truck accidents. These enforcement efforts also educate drivers about the importance of proper pre-trip safety inspections and driver safety on the road.
In 2010 there were 105 people killed and 4,007 injured in commercial truck accidents. Truck accident deaths accounted for nearly 13 percent of Missouri traffic fatalities and 9 percent of all traffic accidents. In Greene, Lawrence, Newton and Jasper counties combined there were 1,075 truck accidents last year. Greene County ranked fourth in the state of Missouri for frequency of truck accidents with 616 truck accidents. Jasper, Newton and Lawrence ranked tenth, seventeenth, and twenty-fifth respectively. St. Louis and Jackson counties see the greatest number statewide.
The largest contributing factor to truck accidents continues to be driver inattention. Vehicle defects only accounted for 6.1 percent of commercial truck accidents in 2010. From smaller vehicles cutting off or pulling in front of larger trucks to commercial drivers not paying attention, truck accidents happen as a result of driver error.
- Inattention (27.5%)
- Improper lane change or use (16.8%)
- Speeding or driving too fast for conditions by either the commercial driver or the other vehicle or both (12.1%)
- Failure to yield (11.4%)
- Following too close (10.7%)
Truck Accidents in Greene County Missouri
If you have been involved in a commercial truck accident in Greene, Jasper, Newton, or Lawrence counties, or anywhere in southern Missouri, contact the Green County Missouri truck accident lawyers. If you need help working with the trucking company, the insurance company or with medical bills and feel you have a case, schedule a consultation meeting today. Call 1-888-777-Auto(2886).
Related Articles: MSHP Announces "Brake Safety Awareness Week"; Causes of Missouri Truck Accidents Usually Preventable.
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