Oregon Public Broadcasting

Next time you pass that big rig on the road, you might want to be extra careful.

Police and Oregon Department of Transportation inspectors released results Tuesday from a two-day surprise checkpoint.

ODOT says inspectors took about 30 percent of truckers off the road for driver or vehicle-related problems

Law enforcement officers and ODOT inspectors checked trucks for a 48-hour period starting last Tuesday, as they entered Oregon by Interstate 5 near Ashland. They inspected 245 trucks.

Police say three drivers were arrested from driving under the influence, 40 drivers were stopped for other infractions, and 37 trucks were pulled off the road for critical safety violations.

Sergeant Dave MacKenzie is with the Oregon State Police. He says these are not minor concerns.

Sgt. Dave MacKenzie: “Broken frames, flat tires, lighting issues – let’s say its at night, and their tail lights don’t function, brake lights don’t function. Things of that nature.”

MacKenzie says the results are in line with what the state has found in previous surprise trucker checks.