As the state with one of the highest rates of truck accidents, it is perhaps appropriate that Texas hosts one of the most important truck safety functions in the nation. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration operates its Safety Investigator Academy in San Marcos, Texas.
This month, SIA welcomed its newest class of safety investigators. The new trainees come from all walks of life, including law enforcement, the armed forces, construction and various business backgrounds. After an intense 10-week training course, the students will hit the road around the nation. In the FMSCA’s words, they will “take a direct role in preventing crashes, injuries, and fatalities involving large trucks and motorcoaches.”
The FMCSA’s inspection duties are an important part of how government regulates the national trucking industry. While many trucking companies recognize that safe maintenance and driver training are crucial to a successful business, others operate unscrupulously. These companies often prioritize higher profits – at the expense of traffic safety goals.
For example, negligent maintenance often leaves trucks with defective brakes or worn-out tires. Either of these scenarios can lead to a jackknife or rollover accident that could jeopardize nearby motorists.
FMSCA investigators can help catch these truck companies before a pattern of safety violations turns into a serious and potentially fatal trucking accident.
Source: U.S. Dept. of Transportation, “FMCSA welcomes incoming Safety Investigator class to the front liens of commercial motor vehicle safety,” Mar. 1, 2013