On state highways, troopers don't wait for accidents to happen
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SEATTLE -- The total number of car crashes on Washington highways dropped between 2011 and 2012 by nearly 70 collisions.
The number of deaths also went down, and at least part of that success is the result of troopers looking for accidents waiting to happen.
"Over my 22 years I've been to a lot of collisions involved commercial vehicles," said Washington State Patrol trooper Doug Sackman.
Horrific crashes, such as the one that killed 9-year old Rachel Beckwith, motivate WSP troopers to do whatever they can to prevent fatal collisions. That includes cracking down on truckers and commercial vehicle drivers before they careen out of control.
"Some of them you will never forget," said Sackman, who hunts for violators as part of WSP's Commercial Vehicle Division.
Every day, hundreds of truckers pass through WSP's scales, where their loads are weighed, rigs are inspected and log books checked.
But the safety checks don't stop there. Troopers patrol from the ground and the air, looking for truckers who bypass the weigh stations.
"What we're looking for is drivers trying to take shortcuts around or bypass the scales simply because they know they have different problems," said trooper Keith Leary.
An unchecked problem could be the difference between life and death. One known issue is trucker fatigue. It's illegal to drive more than 11 hours in a row without taking a 10-hour break. A tired driver is seven times more likely to crash.
"We don't want a tired driver driving a commercial vehicle that is just a disaster waiting to happen," Leary said.
It's not illegal for truckers to bypass weigh stations, but it is illegal for them to falsify their logs.
"A lot of people I've heard carry two or three log books, which is illegal as well, and that would be a good reason to be running around the scales," one trucker said.
By law, long-haul truckers are required to keep a log to track where they've been, what they've hauled and how long they've been on the road.
Troopers say log book violations are no unusual.
The vast majority of truck drivers are safe, but it's the few how push the limit that, and that's who troopers are after.
In 2011, WSP responded to 1,281 collisions. Last year that number dropped by 69 crashes.
"Statewide, our fatalities are coming down not only for commercial vehicles, but motor vehicle crashes as a whole,' Leary said.
Troopers say the driving force behind lowering the number of fatalities is not waiting for an accident to happen, but trying to prevent it.
Last year, troopers cited commercial vehicle drivers with some kind of log book violation more than 13,000 times. More than 4,000 of them were temporarily taken out of service.
The number of deaths also went down, and at least part of that success is the result of troopers looking for accidents waiting to happen.
"Over my 22 years I've been to a lot of collisions involved commercial vehicles," said Washington State Patrol trooper Doug Sackman.
Horrific crashes, such as the one that killed 9-year old Rachel Beckwith, motivate WSP troopers to do whatever they can to prevent fatal collisions. That includes cracking down on truckers and commercial vehicle drivers before they careen out of control.
"Some of them you will never forget," said Sackman, who hunts for violators as part of WSP's Commercial Vehicle Division.
Every day, hundreds of truckers pass through WSP's scales, where their loads are weighed, rigs are inspected and log books checked.
But the safety checks don't stop there. Troopers patrol from the ground and the air, looking for truckers who bypass the weigh stations.
"What we're looking for is drivers trying to take shortcuts around or bypass the scales simply because they know they have different problems," said trooper Keith Leary.
An unchecked problem could be the difference between life and death. One known issue is trucker fatigue. It's illegal to drive more than 11 hours in a row without taking a 10-hour break. A tired driver is seven times more likely to crash.
"We don't want a tired driver driving a commercial vehicle that is just a disaster waiting to happen," Leary said.
It's not illegal for truckers to bypass weigh stations, but it is illegal for them to falsify their logs.
"A lot of people I've heard carry two or three log books, which is illegal as well, and that would be a good reason to be running around the scales," one trucker said.
By law, long-haul truckers are required to keep a log to track where they've been, what they've hauled and how long they've been on the road.
Troopers say log book violations are no unusual.
The vast majority of truck drivers are safe, but it's the few how push the limit that, and that's who troopers are after.
In 2011, WSP responded to 1,281 collisions. Last year that number dropped by 69 crashes.
"Statewide, our fatalities are coming down not only for commercial vehicles, but motor vehicle crashes as a whole,' Leary said.
Troopers say the driving force behind lowering the number of fatalities is not waiting for an accident to happen, but trying to prevent it.
Last year, troopers cited commercial vehicle drivers with some kind of log book violation more than 13,000 times. More than 4,000 of them were temporarily taken out of service.
@WashDUI http://t.co/9k1ZseU1ye
I usually get weighed in and pass the Inspection as the trucks I drive are in top shape. I have went to work for some companies whose equipment is dangerous. I always refused those trucks and trailers. One day I went in and saw another person starting the truck that was repaired. The replacement driver started up an incline with the Parking Brakes on and was smoking the clutch. I went in to get my check and told the Dispatcher/Foreman his truck is on the hill broke down by the driver who replace me. He fired that driver. Then wanted me to go back to work for him; Big No. His trailers had the rods to the trailer air cans welded and hoses had numerous patches on the airlines.
 As for WSP and the Scale shacks I have deep admiration for these guys as they do a good job. When speaking about going around scale shacks, I did this on occasion for country roads and to see most of washington on secondary backroads. At times you have 6 to 7 hours before you can drop a load, so to avoid I-5 and I 90 congestion from Vancouver, Wn to Seattle one simply sightsees. The Columbia River from Longview to Ilwaco and 1001 to Olympia is a great way to go. yes I get stopped and checked. I laugh this off because the traffic is lighter there and I visit some retired truckers enroute.
 WSP you do a Good Job.. Thanks
"Troopers say log book violations are no unusual.
The vast majority of truck drivers are safe, but it's the few how push the limit that, and that's who troopers are after."
Say what now? Â
@lakeview Transcription errors?
Since deregulation, the drivers have raced to the bottom in terms of wages and now they are out there fighting over 6 cents pr mile. They figure if they can do 100 mph, they'll make 6 dollars an hour. All you have to do to stop the mayhem is pay them enough to live on, enough to buy another truck when their existing truck gets old, and buy fuel and insurance.
Its just more of the same old "leave the real paycheck with the corporation" while you get nothing for your sweat and it all comes at the consumers expense when the consumer wants to drive down the road or, when they bury their family members.
It used to be that those guys could buy a truck, have a home with a family, and be putting money away for the next truck and do it all by the book but, thats to much to ask for I guess anymore.
"It's not illegal for truckers to bypass weigh stations" - this is NOT true unless you have a transponder. Without a transponder you MUST stop if you're 16,000 or over, unless it's closed.
@mhungry What is being discussed is not "failing to stop at a weigh station" but getting off of the freeway and taking back roads to avoid the scales.
nice puff piece journalism.
@SwampThing Nice puff comment. Complain much?
This is just another pro-government-power propaganda piece. Â Nobody who drives Washington freeways could possibly believe the WSP is about safety. Â After all, that's the organization patrolling empty (and collision-less) stretches at 7am Sunday morning for speeders, rather than watching during busier times for gravel trucks spewing rocks at cars, for drivers going 40 in the number 1 lane catalyzing dangerous maneuvers to get around, and cheater zooming in a side lane over the gore point to merge later... an event that has killed several people in the last year in collisions with stationary vehicles.
The WSP claims they don't have ticket quotas. Â Asked that precise way, it's probably true, much as Clinton did not have "sex" with that woman. Â But production is visible and used as one metric for advancement. Â Safety isn't measurable so commercial dangers (and elderly drivers going 40 in the fast lane) are simply non-issues.
To get a truly responsive, safety-oriented WSP, we must ban the department from seeing ticket production, ban the cities from benefitting from that revenue, and put area commanders on year-on-year safety trend performance metrics. Â Anything else is merely a revenue and power grab in a move away from private citizens and towards all-controlling Big Brother.
@TCat Our state troopers are the ones forced to deal with the mangled and dead bodies of horrific wrecks. My hat is off to them. Thank you for your service.
@TCat But, they have shown by increase enforcement (tickets) they have reduced collisions.
@K00lGuy @TCat They haven't shown that at all.  The studies I've seen show that collisions increase right as the patrol comes into view. Â
As just a simple non-commercial driver, the trucks I see speeding, excessively changing lanes and tailgating the most are short-haul container trucks, often with Canadian plates. The WSP seems to ignore them. In the last year, I cannot recall ever seeing one of these cowboys pulled over. The great majority of long-haul truckers seem to be courteous and serious about safety.
@Glassman As a professional driver myself, I concur. One day on my way to work,  traffic was at a near crawl. As is my habit , I leave a few car lengths in front of me so I am not constantly braking. The "wharf-rat" trucker behind me decided that that 40 feet in front of me needed to be closed and consequently put his rig a few inches from my back bumper. As I gestured (politely) for him to back off, he pointed to the few feet in front of me. I then made another gesture that you should not do at home. I did, however, catch the companies logo and phone number as he hurried past me at 15 mph after I took the off-ramp. I called his boss right there (hands-free) who actually seemed concerned. He apologized and  said that he would speak to the guy who was a new driver. Wharf-rats and Canadians are by FAR the worst violators.Â
@Getov Mylon @Glassman I agree. We can get a ticket if we pass a truck and get back in front of him, that is considered too close, but boy! do some trucks ride my bumper. I pray, that I do not have to stop quick, as I know that truck will be in my back seat or worse. Some truckers need to back off. I applaud you for keeping a safe distance as I do the same.
@Glassman Making rude gestures to other motorists is unprofessional and Mr. Mylon regrets the incident. Now if he could just convince Mrs. Mylon when she is a passenger to refrain...
RE: Log Book Violations
Obviously the conequences are not even a poke in the eye. Â This will be a test of how patient everyone is.Â
I went to school with the trooper at 2:52 sons. The troopers have a very difficult job trying to keep these trucks under wraps. The biggest violators are the canadian trucks driven by middle eastern descent drivers.
@JeepRex Huh?
Reading comprehension.... try it.
@Glassman Let me simplify it for you... I attended school with the two sons of the trooper pictured at 2:52 in the video. Do you want me to type it slower for you?
@JeepRex "I went to school with the trooper at 2:52 sons."
Again, I say Huh?
Just like our personal safety at home, we should also practice the same principals on the road...head on a swivel and watch your back.I'm glad to hear that WSP (and the media) are focusing on this issue.
35+ citations for logbook violations per day? Which means there are likely hundreds per day that go unnoticed. Truckers BS'ing their books sounds more prevalent than DUI's.
@HawkEye That could be but you have to remember that the first time a DUI driver is actually stopped is probably about the 90th time he/she has driven drunk.