Anderson, Indiana (July 15, 2019) – Carter Logistics is pleased to announce that we are teaming up with the Indiana State Police Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division & the Indiana Motor Truck Association for the Trooper In a Truck program. On July 16, 2019, Carter’s February 2018 driver of the month, Mark Baker, will be escorting Lieutenant Tyler Utterback around the interstate to search for unsafe drivers. By riding in a truck, an officer has a better vantage point to see what drivers are doing in their vehicles. Carter has built its culture around safety and wants to do our part in making sure the roads are safe from distracted and unsafe drivers.
Lieutenant Utterback will be looking for distracted drivers, like those who are texting and driving as well as drivers operating unsafely around commercial motor vehicles. Currently, Indiana has passed legislation that prohibits texting while driving. According to Indianapolis local news source, WTHR, Indiana is attempting to bring better clarity for motorist and officers with a new bill proposed by Rep. Jim Pressel (R-Rolling Prairie) that pushes for a “hands-free” state for all motorists. This new law, if passed, will give police a clear interpretation and allow them to better enforce against distracted driving.
“The ISP Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division’s mission is safety, specifically commercial motor vehicle safety. Typically, we address CMV safety through our inspection program. However, when there is a CMV crash, there are often two vehicles involved,” said Major Jon Smithers, Commander for Commercial Vehicle Enforcement Division Indiana State Police. “There is a misconception that commercial vehicles are usually responsible for the vast majority of car versus truck crashes. Studies conducted by various organizations do not support that concept. These studies indicate that, in a crash involving a passenger car and a large truck, the passenger vehicle is identified as the at-fault party more often than the CMV. The goal of this Trooper in a Truck project is to identify driving behaviors by passenger vehicle operators that create a substantial risk of a crash with a commercial vehicle.”
Lieutenant Utterback’s primary focus is to identify distracted drivers and radio the offending vehicle’s information to a nearby patrol car. That patrol car will then pull them over and issue a citation. This program helps shed light on everyday unsafe driving acts, especially texting and driving. The CVED wants to make sure the road is safe for everyone involved. It has been several years since the last Trooper in a Truck, but if it goes well, this might become an ongoing program, maybe annually or as often as quarterly.
“We at Carter Express support the Indiana State Police in their initiative against distracted driving. Our drivers encounter unsafe driving behaviors by passenger vehicles every day, and we are willing to do anything we can to help make the roads safer for all travelers,” said Darrick Underwood, Director of Safety at Carter Express. “Distracted driving is one of our nation’s roadways largest problems. According to NHTSA, distracted driving causes 25% of motor vehicle fatalities. This equates to over 3,000 deaths and 55,000 injuries annually. Carter Express takes pride in safety, and we feel that we could all benefit from this program by making the roads safer and ensuring we all make it home safely.”
ABOUT CARTER EXPRESS, INC.
For three generations, the Carter family of companies have been evolving to meet the demands of an ever-more-connected world. What began as a modest, family-owned dealership in 1957 eventually developed into a trucking company and then into a public and globally owned logistics powerhouse with clients located around the world. Now with over 800 power units and 1,600 trailers, Carter Express is a recognized expert in customs and border crossings for Canada and Mexico.
ABOUT INDIANA STATE POLICE COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ENFORCEMENT DEPARTMENT
The goal of the CVED is to reduce the number of CMV crashes, and therefore, the number of injuries, and fatalities related to CMV crashes. As well as to reduce the damage to Indiana’s highways and bridges caused by overweight vehicles (for every ten percent increase in vehicle weight, the damage to our highways is increased by forty percent). The division believes these goals can best be accomplished through increased awareness of the state laws and federal regulations and voluntary compliance by the transportation industry.
ABOUT INDIANA MOTOR TRUCK ASSOCIATION
The Indiana Motor Truck Association will be the advocate for the trucking industry by promoting highway safety, providing educational programs, and fostering a healthy business environment. IMTA Mission is to serve, represent, and promote the interests of the trucking industry by enhancing its image, efficiency, and productivity through a focus on safety and advocacy.
Sources:
https://carter-express.com/who-we-are/
https://www.in.gov/isp/2500.htm
https://www.wthr.com/article/indiana-lawmakers-introduce-hands-free-cellphone-bill-drivers
