How are fines and penalties assessed after a roadside inspection?

Fines and other penalties assessed as a result of a roadside inspection are based on state statutes. These fines can result from violations of a specific commercial motor vehicle violation (e.g. violating hours of service limits), or from violating a law that applies to drivers of any vehicle (defective brakes).

Each state is free to set its own penalty structure. As a result, the fine for the same basic violation can vary widely from state to state.

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA), in an effort to standardize the levels of fines, established the Uniform Fines and Sanctions Committee in 1989. The committee’s charge was to develop a recommended fine schedule that could be adopted by states and other jurisdictions. The committee was successful in developing a “Uniform Recommended Maximum Fine Schedule.” (Since that time the committee has been given new assignments and was renamed the Regulatory and Legal Affairs Committee.)

So far only some states have adopted the fine schedule. More jurisdictions are expected to adopt the fine schedule as time goes on.