Alabama State Troopers to closely monitor 18-wheeler traffic during Operation SafeDRIVE

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - Operation SafeDRIVE aims to eliminate commercial vehicle, or 18-wheeler traffic collisions, through periods of high visibility enforcement, along with the southeastern Interstate 10 corridor.

“To try to minimize the number of crashes we’ve seen lately that involve commercial vehicles,” Trooper spokesman Reginal King told WBRC.

Law enforcement from Louisiana and Florida will also help in this effort.

Trooper King said accidents involving 18-wheelers can be more serious because of their size and the types of loads they can carry.

“You have more of a possibility of the roadway being shut down. There’s more weight involved. It’s taking up more space on the roadway,” he continued.

Troopers will be checking to make sure paperwork for the driver and their vehicle is up to date as well as checking the vehicle for any problems that could cause it to be a hazard on the road.

“When we pull commercial vehicles over, we’re checking for everything from driver’s certifications to the vehicle itself. We’re making sure that the tires are properly inflated. We’re making sure that the signals are working. We’re making sure the logs are up to date,” King added.

Drivers in small cars and regular sized vehicles can do their part to.

Don’t follow too closely behind 18-wheelers because you could be in their blind spot.

Operation SafeDRIVE ends August 5th.