A rest area along Interstate 85 in Macon County has been turned into a weigh station as state and federal inspectors make sure 18 wheelers and other large commercial vehicles are up to code.
"Just making motorists aware, making commercial vehicle operators aware, and the different safety measures you must take when you're driving a commercial vehicle," said Trooper Charles Dysart, with the Department of Public Safety.
In our investigation on 18 wheeler safety last month, we found driver fatigue is a leading factor in a number of accidents involving big trucks. We also found a large number of companies that exceed federal standards for driver fatigue.
"They're limited to the amount of hours that they can drive in a day," Dysart said. "They're looking at log books, they're just not looking at log books, we're also looking at making sure the vehicle is in good operating condition."
Police said it's often the little things like those log books or maybe loose bolts or leaking fluid that can make a big difference in safety on the roads.
"When you're dealing with a commercial vehicle, that can weigh up to 80,000 pounds, and that vehicle loses its brakes and they're traveling 50 miles per hour, and they're involved in a crash, that can be something serious and it's very dangerous," Dysart said.
The sweep is not only happening in Alabama but across the continent. Agencies in three countries are taking a close look at big trucks.
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