Charges laid in recent commercial motor vehicle blitz

In keeping with their ongoing commitment to road safety, the York Regional Police Traffic Bureau recently trained 27 front line officers, including two officers from Guelph Police and two from South Simcoe Police, in identifying common defects with commercial motor vehicles.

The recently trained officers work in a regular uniform capacity and perform regular patrol duties. Their efforts will augment those of the Traffic Bureau's Commercial Vehicle Inspection Unit.

During the three days of training, more than 750 trucks were stopped at various locations across York. The officers identified a number of vehicles with mechanical defects, most commonly improper tires and/or improperly adjusted brakes. Numerous drivers also failed to produce proper documentation, including log books and pre-trip inspection reports. By the end of the training period, 220 charges had been laid for a variety of offences.

Owners and drivers of commercial motor vehicles are reminded that, as of July, the laws pertaining to pretrip inspections have changed. More onus has been placed on the owner of a commercial motor vehicle to ensure its mechanical fitness. In addition, drivers are now required to produce additional pre-trip inspection documentation specific to the type of commercial motor vehicle being operated.

For more details on the changes, owners and drivers should consult the official version of Ontario Regulation 199/07. The Regulation can be viewed at the Ontario Government ELaws Web site at www.elaws. gov.on.ca