Officials with the Illinois State Police (ISP) announce the results of a joint hazardous materials enforcement detail that occurred September 28 – 29, 2016, in southern Illinois. The detail took place on I-24, I-64, and I-57 and was a collaborative effort with the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT).
During the detail 77 ISP Officers and 20 IDOT Inspectors worked to ensure commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) were adhering to Motor Carrier Safety Regulations (MCSR). The Officers and Inspectors conducted roving patrols and also staffed fixed inspection sites. The primary objective of the detail was to ensure CMVs were safely transporting hazardous materials. Officers were also enforcing size and weight regulations of CMVs, seat belt violations, distracted driving violations, and other motor vehicles exhibiting aggressive driving habits near CMVs.
“The main focus of the detail was to ensure commercial motor vehicles transporting hazardous materials were doing so safely and according to federal guidelines,” stated Illinois State Police Director Leo P. Schmitz. “The operation of commercial motor vehicles is essential to many aspects of our daily lives. The ISP will remain diligent in our efforts at safeguarding all motorists and the citizens of Illinois,” he continued.
The detail resulted in 1,697 CMV inspections. The inspections identified 1,245 violations and 112 vehicles and 34 drivers were placed out of service for violating an MCSR.
“As the transportation hub of North America, Illinois is critical to the flow of goods and services on the nation’s highways,” Illinois Transportation Secretary Randy Blankenhorn said. “Safety on our roads always will be a top priority of IDOT. We are proud to work with our partners at State Police on this and all initiatives in the future that help to protect the traveling public.”
This detail was part of a Tri-State Hazardous Materials Enforcement Detail. Both the Missouri Highway Patrol and the Indiana State Police conducted similar patrols on portions of the I-64 corridor.
