State police to check underride guards during August enforcement initiative

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) announced today that they’ll be coordinating with state law enforcement agencies across the country for a rear underride guard check.

During the week of August 27 — 31, state commercial motor vehicle law enforcement departments will choose one day to focus on checking underride guards.

The enforcement activity is called “Rear Impact Guard Check” and the CVSA describes it as a “one-time, one-day … enforcement initiative.” Law enforcement officers will be conducting  Level I, II, IV or V Inspections during the enforcement actitivites.

The Rear Impact Guard Check is being held as a response to a letter drafted by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) and Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL), who asked the CVSA to “consider updating its current North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria to add rear underride guards.”  The CVSA says that data gathered during Rear Impact Guard Check will help them to make an informed decision in response to Gillibrand and Rubio’s request.

CVSA President Capt. Christopher Turner with the Kansas Highway Patrol says that the Rear Impact Guard Check should have little impact on motor carriers: “It’s important to note that inspectors will be conducting business as usual and will not be doing anything differently during Rear Impact Guard Check, other than filling out a data collection form that they’ll submit to CVSA. Drivers and motor carriers should not be impacted by this initiative.”