Some of the truck drivers who pass through Mojave and Barstow recently got a well-deserved break courtesy of the California Highway Patrol.

The event took place at the Cottonwood Inspection Facility on I-5. Officers handed out free food, free beverages, and other goodies. Officials say about 800,000 trucks per year pass through the weigh station. In addition to load weight, inspectors conduct a visual safety check, examine the inspection sticker, and verify paperwork like the log book and drivers’ license. Most of the citations handed out are for weight violations. The inspectors first give drivers a chance to shift the load, and then they must unload until they meet weight.

CHP officers normally conduct either level two (visual) or level three (paperwork only) inspections.

Safety Scores

Veteran truckers know that the profit margins in this industry are incredibly thin. Just a few extra cents per mile typically mean the difference between making money and losing money. Safety violations, especially the way the government catalogs them, are a financial double whammy.

First, safety violations may increase insurance rates, because companies assume that poorly-maintained trucks are more likely to be involved in crashes. That is especially true in California, where there are so many restrictions on insurance premium increases. Secondly, safety violations negatively affect operators’ federal safety scores, and a high score may lead to license suspension, and even a few weeks of unpaid down time is financially crippling.

The federal government, and some insurance companies, rely on law enforcement data to determine driver safety. So, drivers who receive fix-it tickets and take care of the deficiencies may see their safety scores affected, even though the underlying cases are dismissed. Attorneys can rather easily correct this erroneous data, because they know what to do, who to call, and what supporting evidence to provide.

Getting Legal Help

The aggressive lawyers at Bigger & Harman, APC, are committed to giving individuals a voice when dealing with speeding and traffic tickets. Call today at 661-859-1177 or email attorney@markbigger.com to receive the personal professional attention you deserve. En español, llame al 661-376-0214.