Most large commercial vehicles in Nevada are operated safely while carrying their goods or passengers. However, some violate state and federal transportation trucking regulations.
(Article continues below infographic.)
In order to determine if heavy commercial vehicles are operated safely, roadside inspections are carried out. And the results of some of these checks have resulted in transportation company shutdowns.
Nevada transportation companies shut down
According to news agency Reuters, Nevada is a state where several trucking companies clocked multiple prior safety violations.
One Nevada trucking company whose driver struck an Amtrak train killing at least six people had numerous safety violations. There were 19 random roadside inspections since September 2010. Of these, seven inspections resulted in violations as reported by the NTSB.
The Federal Motor Carrier Administration (FMCA) also ordered a three-truck heavy equipment hauler in Las Vegas ordered off the road due to violations.
Violations make trucks unsafe, and can result in accidents involving not only the driver, but innocent parties as well. As a result, roadside inspections are a must for public safety.
Statistics don’t lie
In a study conducted by Fleet Owner, multiple trucking vehicles were cited for many violations. These included:
| Violation | # Inspections | # Violations | # OOS |
| Not having operable lamps | 140,156 | 202,610 | 16,365 |
| Clamp/Roto-chamber type brakes out of adjustment | 47,135 | 72,689 | 49 |
| Inspection/repair and maintenance, parts and accessories | 58,092 | 72,410 | 14,418 |
| Tire tread depth | 47,291 | 62,256 | 4,886 |
| Oil and grease leak | 46,438 | 55,644 | 429 |
Source: Fleet Owner
Trucking is also plagued with a number of driver violations.
| Violation Description | # Violations | # Inspections | Percentage of Total Violations |
| Log violation | 154,649 | 118,964 | 14.0% |
| Driver’s record of duty status not current | 97,128 | 96,497 | 8.8% |
| Non-English speaking driver | 87,637 | 87,506 | 7.9% |
| Driving beyond eight-hour limit since the end of the last off-duty or sleeper period of at least 30 minutes | 68,457 | 46,138 | 6.2% |
| State and local laws of driving over the speed limit | 64,091 | 64,081 | 5.8% |
Source: FMCSA Motor Carrier Management Information System
NV Transport reported that in 2011, about 25 percent of vehicles and drivers were taken out of service (OOS) for violations discovered during roadside inspections.
When to hire a Las Vegas personal injury attorney
Nevada State and federal trucking regulations have certain restrictions and requirements. Drivers must have a valid commercial driver’s license, medical card, and be alcohol- and drug-free.
