COLUMBUS – The Ohio State Highway Patrol participated in a multi-state special enforcement operation conducted by Kentucky, Ohio, Indiana, and West Virginia law enforcement agencies to increase patrol efforts for commercial motor vehicles last week. These agencies focused their efforts on Interstates and State Routes along the adjoining state borders.

The multi-state enforcement operation stopped 1,459 commercial vehicles along Ohio’s borders. These stops yielded 582 commercial motor vehicle inspections resulting in 197 drivers or vehicles being placed out of service. The combined law enforcement agencies wrote 870 total citations and found 795 equipment violations. During the enforcement period the operation resulted in the apprehension of one wanted suspect and the arrest of one driver for OVI.

Officers centered their enforcement efforts on the unsafe operation of commercial vehicles that must comply with Federal Motor Carrier Safety Regulations and dyed fuel violations. Violations that were targeted included speed, careless driving, equipment violations, driver qualifications, hours of service, hazardous material transportation and oversized/overweight vehicles.

“Although certified safety inspectors perform this work every day on Ohio roads, this enforcement operation placed a special emphasis on commercial motor vehicle safety issues aimed at saving lives on Ohio highways,” Major Robert Brooks, Commander of the Patrol’s Office of Licensing and Commercial Standards, said.

Through October of this year there were 133 commercial vehicle-related fatal crashes resulting in 147 deaths in Ohio. Of these fatal crashes, 30 percent were the fault of the commercial driver.

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