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Amanda Butterfield ReportingEyewitness News alerted you first to the growing trend of semi-trucks with safety problems. There’s more evidence tonight that something could be seriously wrong with a truck you drive next to. Troopers stopped and inspected trucks all day on Traverse Ridge in Draper. Tonight the numbers are in.
If you're driving down Traverse Ridge and see a truck in your rearview mirror, you've got cause to be concerned. Troopers took more than half of the trucks they randomly inspected there today off the road because they weren't safe.
For two hours this morning and another two this afternoon, Draper police and UHP pulled over Truckers on Bangerter Parkway and Traverse Ridge Way for spot inspections.
Sgt. Greg Lundell, UHP: "I was actually kind of surprised with some of the violations we did see, yes."
A total of 34 trucks were inspected. Of those, 64 percent had violations so bad they were taken off the road and couldn't get back on until the problem was fixed.
Trucker: "I'm just waiting for a service mechanic to come out, put on new wheel, and I'm good to go."
Inspectors found everything from cracked frames, flat tires, to overweight trucks and expired commercial drivers licenses. One guy didn't even have a commercial drivers license. But the biggest problem…
Sgt. Lundell, UHP: "We found a lot of brakes."
Off all the big rigs pulled over, only three had no violations and were sent on their way. The truckers we talked to didn't seem to upset about the sting.
Gary Sorenson, Truck driver: “I don’t have any complaints. I’d rather be safe than sorry.”
Sgt. Lundell, UHP: "Many had mentioned to me they knew they had a problem, turned it into the company it hadn't been fixed. So they were glad to see we placed them out of service because that required the company to fix it."
Trucker: "Oh yea, it's my butt sitting inside of that truck."
Because of today's success, UHP plans to do this again there.
Sgt. Greg Lundell, UHP: "I'm sure today helped make it a little safer on those hills in Draper."
Every week a branch of UHP does stop and inspect trucks all over the valley. They chose this location today because Draper Police asked for their help after last week’s fatal wreck on this road.
