Kentucky Drivers Protected by Commercial Vehicle Enforcement

August 13, 2014 | Crandall & Pera Law
Kentucky Drivers Protected by Commercial Vehicle Enforcement

With over two million tractor-trailers on the road every day, Kentucky's Commercial Vehicle Enforcement division is working to prevent traffic accidents that could cause serious physical injury and property damage.

The division protects the state's infrastructure and enforces state and federal laws on commercial vehicles traveling Kentucky's roads.

In addition to inspections based at weigh stations, which see nearly 6,000 commercial vehicles roll through every day, sworn CVE officers travel the state's highways and interstates looking for traffic violators or anything else amiss on commercial vehicles. Unlike other law enforcement officers, CVE officers do not have to have probable cause to stop a commercial vehicle.

Drivers must have a medical examiner's certificate that shows they are physically capable of operating a truck, a commercial driver's license, shipping papers, inspection certificates and other supporting documentation. CVE officers also check that everything from brakes, lights, horn and steering axles are working properly and that the truck's tires are not flat.

Some violations can result in a truck being impounded, while others can result in federal fines in the thousands of dollars.

"Safety is the utmost concern," said Officer Jared Newberry, spokesman of Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Region 2. "The second concern is the infrastructure...We don't want several noncompliant companies damaging our bridges and highways." Read the full details here:

Commercial vehicle enforcment workers promote safety, protect roads

Commercial trucks are the single largest cause of devastating injuries on America's highways.   Regulations and enforcement, along with damages awarded in personal injury lawsuits, are the only deterrent the industry will respond to.

If you feel that unsafe driving factors exhibited by truck drivers led to a major accident which impacted your family’s life, please contact the experienced attorneys of Crandall & Pera Law.