COLUMBUS, Ohio. (WOWO) — This week, thousands of motor carrier enforcement officers will take part in the three-day transportation safety event known as International Roadcheck.

The Public Utilities Commission of Ohio (PUCO) is participating in International Roadcheck, the largest targeted enforcement program for commercial motor vehicles in the world, scheduled for May 13-15 throughout the United States, Mexico and Canada.

During International Roadcheck, inspectors will primarily conduct the North American Standard Level I Inspection, a 37-step procedure that includes an examination of driver operating requirements and vehicle mechanical fitness. This year’s International Roadcheck places special emphasis on two focus areas: hours-of-service regulations and proper tire maintenance.

Hours-of-service regulations limit driving hours and mandate adequate rest breaks for commercial motor vehicle drivers. These regulations help to prevent crashes and incidents caused by fatigue. Drivers must accurately log their times and duty statuses. Drivers failing to properly retain or found to be falsifying logs will be subject to civil forfeiture and may be placed out-of-service.

Proper tire maintenance is crucial to safely operating a commercial motor vehicle. Tire failure while in transit is a hazard to all motorists. It is also far more expensive and time consuming for motor carriers to repair an in-transit tire failure versus proactively maintaining tire health and addressing tire issues before the vehicle is on the road.