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Change In Truck Inspections Not Expected To Impact Safety

KOMU News-Flickr/https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/

A new law will give some Illinois truck drivers a break when it comes to safety inspections. It sounds like an idea that could make roads less safe.  But Don Schaefer with the Midwest Truckers Association says that's not the case.  

It will impact large trucks that travel only in Illinois.  Schaefer says they'll no longer have to undergo inspections twice a year.  Instead, they'll be on the same schedule as interstate truckers, once every twelve months.  Schaefer says the change makes sense.

"A lot of times these vehicles are seasonal.  They may be only used by farmers to haul grain during the fall harvest season.  They may park that truck and that truck may not go back on the road again for another 8 months or so," he said.

Schaefer says it's fairer to those who work in Illinois as it will save both time and money. 

"The federal government requires the heaviest running trucks to only be inspected once a year yet we're telling these other trucks that only go a small percentage of what the other trucks go that they have to have twice the inspections,” Schaefer said.

All trucks are still subject to spot inspections along highways when police can pull over a truck and check brakes, lights or other parts.