Georgia’s current governor, Nathan Deal, wants to reduce accident involving commercial motor vehicles (CMVs) along the I-16, I-85 and I-95 corridors.
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Governor Deal’s proposal was announced after several high-profile accidents near the Port of Savannah. The accidents let to an outcry by the public as well as politicians about the safety of CMVs in the area. A total of ten people died in two separate accidents within a month of each other in April and May of 2015. Georgia is currently ranked one of the top five states for fatality crashes involving CMVs.
Georgia would spend $10 million to hire 60 new enforcement officers and requisite equipment. The officers would add enforcement along what the Georgia Department of Public Safety is calling “high crash corridors”. The Georgia Department of Public Safety and the Georgia Ports Authority are partnering to pay for the additional officers.
This would bring Georgia’s total number of commercial vehicle enforcement officers to over 290.
The areas labeled “high crash corridors” include: I-16 and I-95, the Atlanta metro area as well as the area south of Atlanta along I-85.
In addition to adding officers, Georgia will implement additional safety measures including:
- The Georgia Targeting Aggressive Cars and Trucks Program (G-TACT) and Operation Safe Drive on I-95. This is a joint operation between Georgia law enforcement officers and their commercial vehicle enforcement counterparts in surrounding states. The program run by the Georgia Department of Public Safety’s Motor Carrier Compliance Division is designed to educate motorists on how to decrease risky behavior and navigate the road safely with CMVs. The program was funded with a grant from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA).
- Ongoing partnerships with the Georgia Motor Trucking Association and the Georgia Motorcoach Operators Association.
- Compliance reviews and safety audits on Georgia-based carriers by the Georgia Department of Public Safety’s Motor Carrier Compliance Division officers.
- Stepped up and concentrated patrols to enforce speeding, distracted driving and safety belt violations and to conduct Level 3 truck inspections. A Level 3 inspection includes examination of the commercial driver’s license, medical examiner’s certificate, pre-trip inspection, driver’s record of duty status including hours of service, seat belt, and hazardous materials/dangerous goods requirements.