LYON COUNTY, KY (WSIL) -- The Kentucky State Police division of Commercial Vehicle Enforcement recently reported they find potentially dangerous issues with big rigs nearly every day.
The department increased inspections over the course of two days, posting to Facebook several violations that are surprising, like a wrench being used to hold truck parts together, or a strap used to keep a brake pedal in place.
Kentucky State Police say most commercial drivers are in compliance with safety standards, their inspections are to catch the ones who are not.
In 2020, more than 55,000 truck inspections took place at weigh stations across Kentucky, often the "first line of safety for motorist by ensuring commercial vehicles are compliant with safety regulations," says KSP Sgt. Jason Morris.
"At this station here our inspectors are in charge of inspecting trucks randomly," says Morris at a weigh station on I-24 Westbound in Lyon County Wednesday morning. "They're also looking for any tax violations, overweight violations and just anything that may be dangerous that is traveling up and down the roadway."
Morris says inspections revealed more than 56,000 violations in 2020 with everything from worn tires and breaks to using tools to hold truck parts together. Close to 8,000 trucks and more than 2,000 drivers were placed out-of-service in 2020 due to violations.
"So when these out of service conditions are located," explains Morris. "That's taking another driver or another vehicle off the roadway that could pose a danger to other motorists that are on the roadways."
Sergeant Morris says the number of truckers on the road is increasing, and as more funds make their way to repair those roads, increased construction becomes a factor as well.
Several accidents involving big rigs took place this week, Kentucky's Transportation Cabinet contributed construction and distracted drivers for two near Paducah.
Morris says it is not just commercial truck drivers that need to pay extra attention when they are in a construction zone, passenger vehicles need to be watching out as well and paying attention to those truckers.
Commercial trucks were involved in more than 56,000 crashes in Kentucky in 2020. Those crashes resulted in more than 100 deaths and 1,100 injures.
