September 02, 2010 – / N2N / – In early August, Connecticut Governor Jodi Rell announced that her office was leading an “intense crackdown” on unsafe driving practices by truck drivers. The crackdown was announced in the wake of a series of serious trucking accidents that resulted in two fatalities and numerous road closures.

The enhanced patrols will be a joint effort between the state patrol and the Department of Motor Vehicles. Five hundred state patrol officers, 24 members of the traffic squad and the DMV squad will be looking out for dangerous driving activities by truck drivers.

In a recent press release, Gov. Rell announced that during the first two weeks of the crackdown, more than 1,200 citations were issued to truck drivers for a variety of infractions. The Governor’s press release noted that the most prominent citations issued over the initial two week span of the program included:
- 211 Overweight Truck Violations
- 88 Speeding/Reckless Driving Violations
- 77 Violations for Defective Lights
- 70 Logbook Violations
- 65 Oversize Vehicle Violations
- 61 Registration Violations
- 53 Driver’s License Violations
- 47 Violations for Defective Brakes and Tires

Governor Rell also asked the state highway patrol to review 14 accidents between April 10 and July 10 involving semi-trucks. In nine of those accidents, the truck driver was cited for an unsafe driving practice, such as speeding or an improper lane change. The Department of Motor Vehicles notes that two of the investigations remain open.

Driver Fatigue a Common Cause

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Association, driver fatigue is a contributing factor in 30 to 40 percent of all trucking accidents. Whether from lack of sleep or driving too many consecutive hours, studies have indicated that fatigued driving is just as dangerous as driving while intoxicated.

The crackdown was announced by the Governor the morning after a truck accident caused the shutdown of I-84. In her announcement, Gov. Rell indicated that the driver, who suffered minor injuries in the crash, appeared to have fallen asleep.

Though the Governor stated that most truckers are safe and follow proper rules of

the road, she promised to use this initiative to hold those who do not drive safely accountable for their actions.

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