Like most other states, Indiana has seen its share of budget cuts over the last few years, particularly when it comes to the public infrastructure sector. Unfortunately, many of those laid off from government positions performed jobs that made our roads safer — state troopers, public works employees and motor carrier inspectors, for example. With fewer truck inspectors on the roads, trucks that pose a serious safety threat to other motorists due to their poor condition are less likely to be stopped and cited —and, therefore, less likely to fix their problems.
Indiana Does Not Have Enough Motor Carrier Inspectors
Indiana, known as the Crossroads of America, sees more than one million large commercial trucks traverse the state every day. However, only 72 state troopers and motor carrier inspectors are currently charged with inspecting all the trucks that enter Indiana, meaning that a single officer is responsible for checking more than 13,000 trucks per day. State Representative Dan Forestal is seeking support to increase funding enough to rehire the 14 motor carrier inspectors laid off since 2008, when a total of 86 employees shared truck inspection duties.
Indiana Trucks in disrepair & dangerous vehicles on the road
According to Federal records, in 2012, Indiana State Police (ISP) stopped more than 6,000 large trucks that exhibited such obviously serious mechanical issues and safety hazards that they had to be removed from the road immediately. Some of the problematic conditions ISP cited included the following:
- Unsafe tires
- Defective turn signals
- Malfunctioning brakes
- Unsecured cargo loads
- General disrepair
Catching Dangerous Vehicles & Trucks in Disrepair
Restoring the 16 percent of the inspection department that’s been lost since 2008 would help officials catch more of these dangerous vehicles that cause Indiana truck accidents every day and jeopardize the lives of everyone on the road.
The Struggle for Motor Carrier Inspectors in Indiana
Of course, budget issues remain prevalent, so Rep. Forestal could be facing a struggle. But, as he notes, saving money should not be a priority over safety. If you’ve been in an accident involving a truck, contact an attorney immediately.
Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC: Indiana Truck Accident Lawyers
With so many trucks in disrepair, more and more truck accidents happen throughout the state of Indiana. With this in mind, if you are in a truck accident in Indiana, it is important that you get the compensation you deserve, while also helping to prevent this type of accident in the future. For more information, contact the truck accident lawyers at Craig, Kelley & Faultless LLC today.
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