In a concerted effort to enhance road safety, police departments from Berks and Lehigh Counties coordinated an aggressive-driving and Commercial Motor Vehicle Safety Enforcement detail Tuesday morning along the US 222 corridor. This operation is part of a statewide initiative running through August 18, aimed at curbing dangerous driving behaviors and ensuring the safety of commercial vehicle operations.
Law enforcement officers in Lehigh County targeted aggressive-driving behaviors, including speeding and tailgating, which Berks County police focused on heavy truck enforcement. The operation’s primary goal is to reduce accidents involving commercial motor vehicles by identifying and addressing serious violations.
Sergeant David Bentz of the Exeter Township Police Department emphasized the importance of the enforcement effort. “There’s a lot of good carriers out there that put a ton of money into keeping their equipment together, and our job is basically to find those that aren’t doing that and aren’t playing by the rules, get them off the road and put them out of service. We have trucks here today that are out of service with violations so severe that the regulations say they can’t continue,” Bentz said.
During the enforcement detail, officers were on the lookout for several violations, including overweight vehicles and logbook discrepancies, which could indicate drivers exceeding their legal driving hours.
Sergeant Thomas Focht of the Fleetwood Police Department underscored the mission to prevent crashes. “Our goal is to reduce crashes, and when we inspect trucks, we sometimes find serious violations that can cause accidents. We’re looking for drivers who were driving too many hours without rest, drivers that aren’t qualified to drive that particular vehicle, and vehicles that are not safe, whether it be brakes, steering system components, or if loads aren’t secured properly. If we can stop them ahead of time, we might be able to prevent a serious or fatal crash,” Focht stated.
In addition, Focht advised commercial drivers should maintain a safe following distance, adhere to speed limits, and stay aware of their surroundings to ensure they can bring their vehicles to a safe stop.
The Fleetwood Police Department reported conducting 34 truck inspections, uncovering 24 violations. Among these, four trucks were weighed, with two found to be overweight. Additionally, four trucks were placed out of service due to severe violations.
