Police looking for unsafe trucks

BRANFORD, Conn. (WTNH) -- A lot of big rigs are being pulled over in Connecticut as state troopers and the DMV are giving the trucks the once-over to make sure they're safe as they roll through Connecticut.  

Officers are also on local roads looking for potentially unsafe trucks and motor coaches.

"This is Canada, the US and Mexico. Roadcheck 2012. It highlights what we do every day, stopping trucks and ensuring the drivers are acting and driving appropriately," said Lt. Donald Bridge from the Connecticut DMV.

News 8 took a ride with Bridge to see truck traffic through the eyes of an expert. The first thing he looks for is not what the trucker is driving, but how he's driving it.

"See that truck as it passes the expansion joint? You should be able to count to three. One... two... he's not even two seconds behind him," Bridge said.

Because that truck wasn't leaving a three second gap behind the truck in front of him, he gets a visit from the Lieutenant.

With no visible safety issues and a spotless driving record, this trucker just gets a warning, but many others will get a full, hour-long inspection.

A dump truck got pulled over for not having brake lights and the inspector looked the vehicle over from top to bottom.

It didn't have working brake lights, so the truck was pulled off the road. It's not leaving the parking lot until a technician fixes the problem.

Just last week, a tractor trailer got stopped in South Windsor for a missing tire and inspectors found two dozen more safety violations. Keeping the trucks safe keeps the rest of us safe, too. That's why these crackdowns are important. They also remind car drivers to be safe around trucks.

"Don't get in their blind spots, don't follow where they can't see you," Bridge advised. "They're large in nature, so we're trying to bring attention to all of that so everybody's aware of it, everybody's safe. At the end of the day, we all get home to where we've got to go."

The enforcement effort will run through Thursday.

According to the DMV , police and inspectors will be looking for things like:

• Proper tires.
• Safely functioning brakes.
• Systems for securing a load.
• Working lights.
• Whether a driver has exceeded the number of hours allowed for driving.
• Whether a driver is fatigued.
• Properly completed log books.
• Conformance with size and weight requirements.