How safe are the 18 wheelers we share the road with every day?

From now through Thursday,DPS troopers and others trained to inspect commercial vehicles will be taking a close look at them to make sure drivers are obeying safety laws.

We watched Tuesday morning as some of the trucks were inspected at the weigh station on I-10 near Anahuac in Chambers County.

It's called Roadcheck 2009 and it's taking place all across North America this week.

In addition to checking licenses and log books, the inspectors will also look for evidence of drug and alcohol use.

Last year authorities in Texas inspected almost six thousand commercial vehicles. Troopers had more than 1,400 of them removed from the road due to safety concerns.

From DPS

Commercial motor vehicles such as 18-wheelers will come under extra scrutiny this week during Roadcheck 2009, a 72-hour intensive inspection program that runs from June 2 through 4 throughout North America.

DPS Commercial Vehicle Enforcement troopers and noncommissioned inspectors, along with Highway Patrol troopers who have received specialized training in commercial vehicle inspection, will stop thousands of commercial vehicles to inspect safety equipment and check driver log books, driver licenses and endorsements. Inspectors will also look for possible drug or alcohol use.

"We are concerned about the safety of all commercial vehicles traveling through Texas," said Highway Patrol Chief David Baker. "We will be looking for trucks and drivers who aren't complying with safety requirements, and will place them out of service if necessary."

During Roadcheck 2008, DPS inspectors examined 5,824 vehicles in Texas. As a result, troopers removed 1,435 vehicles and 178 drivers from service because of the serious nature of their safety violations.

The Roadcheck program, which stretches from Mexico to Canada, is designed to reduce commercial vehicle highway fatalities through increased vehicle safety. The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), which sponsors Roadcheck, reports a significant decrease in the commercial vehicle crash rate in North America since the program's start in 1988.

Vehicles passing inspection receive a CVSA decal exempting the vehicle from inspection for a 90-day period, unless they have an obvious safety defect. Troopers issued 2,054 decals during Roadcheck 2008.