New Westminster – Between October 2nd and October 4th the New Westminster Police Department Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Unit and Traffic Unit, in partnership with the provincial Commercial Vehicle Safety and Enforcement Branch, inspected 314 vehicles, in a large scale annual blitz, to ensure road safety.
With the number of commercial vehicles driving through New Westminster, this was one of the largest initiatives of its type in the province. The focus of the blitz was on business vehicles that may not be properly maintained and could ultimately pose a danger on our roads.
The inspectors used their expertise to focus on vehicles that were not likely to pass an inspection. This was accomplished through a quick visual inspection in conjunction with vehicle type and carrier history. Main items checked during inspection are the vehicles’ mechanical components and driver qualifications; specifically brakes, tires, lights, steering, load security, driver licensing, and driver fatigue.
During the three day initiative, 314 vehicles were inspected, the vast majority of which were light commercial vehicles including: cargo vans, pick-up trucks, small delivery vehicles and trades vehicles among other larger commercial vehicles. Of the total inspections, 23 passed with no defects, 122 required minor repairs to be completed at a later time, and 168 required repairs to be completed prior to proceeding.
Drivers were issued 62 violations tickets during the 3 days, totaling more than $19,000 in fines, as well as approximately $12,800 in bylaw tickets.
“The New Westminster Police Department is one of the very few police departments that maintain a dedicated team of Commercial Vehicle Inspectors,” stated Sergeant Jeff Scott. “Officers observed a number of different issues, ranging from minor things that could be repaired on site, to major issues which required the vehicle to be towed. This type of initiative is one of the many different ways that we ensure road safety.”
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