Inspection Season Is Here: What Drivers and Carriers Need to Know About CVSA Enforcement in 2026

Starting this week, commercial motor vehicle inspectors across the United States, Canada and Mexico are participating in the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s International Roadcheck initiative, one of the largest targeted enforcement efforts of the year. At the same time, CVSA is already looking ahead to another major enforcement campaign this summer: Operation Safe Driver Week, scheduled for July 12-18.

Together, these initiatives send a clear message to the industry. Enforcement agencies are continuing to focus not only on vehicle condition and regulatory compliance, but also on driver behavior behind the wheel.

During International Roadcheck, inspectors at weigh stations, inspection sites and roadside locations are conducting North American Standard inspections on commercial motor vehicles and drivers. The primary inspection utilized is the Level I Inspection, a 37-step process that examines both driver operating requirements and the mechanical fitness of the vehicle.

Inspectors may also conduct Level II walk-around inspections, Level III driver credential inspections, or Level V vehicle-only inspections. Vehicles that pass a Level I or Level V inspection without critical violations may receive a CVSA decal, signaling the vehicle passed inspection standards within the previous three months.

This year’s Roadcheck enforcement focus areas are electronic logging device falsification and cargo securement.

For drivers, inspectors are paying close attention to manipulated or inaccurate records of duty status, with a specific emphasis on ELD tampering. Inspectors will also review licenses, medical certificates, seat belt usage, qualification requirements and signs of impairment. In the United States, inspectors will additionally verify driver status within the Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse.

For vehicles, inspectors are evaluating major mechanical systems including brakes, steering, suspension, tires, lighting, frames and cargo securement equipment. Cargo securement is receiving particular attention this year, with inspectors physically examining tie-downs, chains and straps for proper condition, placement and effectiveness.

If out-of-service violations are identified, the driver or vehicle may be restricted from operating until the issues are corrected.

While International Roadcheck focuses heavily on compliance and equipment condition, Operation Safe Driver Week shifts attention toward behaviors occurring on the roadway itself.

Scheduled for July 12-18, Operation Safe Driver Week targets unsafe driving behaviors among both commercial motor vehicle drivers and passenger vehicle drivers. Law enforcement personnel throughout North America will be actively watching for behaviors such as speeding, distracted driving, following too closely, impaired driving, unsafe lane changes, failure to wear seat belts and reckless or careless driving.

This year’s emphasis is reckless, careless and dangerous driving behavior.

According to CVSA, reckless driving involves operating a vehicle with willful or wanton disregard for the safety of others. Careless or dangerous driving includes operating a vehicle without due care, attention or reasonable consideration for surrounding traffic and roadway users.

The numbers behind these initiatives are sobering. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 36,640 people were killed in traffic crashes in the United States during 2025. Canada continues to average roughly 2,000 roadway fatalities annually, while Mexico reported nearly 16,000 roadway deaths in 2022.

For motor carriers, these enforcement campaigns are reminders that compliance cannot be treated as a once-a-year event. A clean inspection during Roadcheck starts long before the truck enters a scale house. Strong maintenance programs, accurate records of duty status, secure cargo and well-trained drivers are built through consistent daily habits, not last-minute preparation.

The same applies to driver behavior. Unsafe driving habits rarely appear out of nowhere during an enforcement campaign. They are usually the result of rushed schedules, poor communication, lack of accountability or complacency that develops over time.

The carriers that perform best during initiatives like these are often the companies that have already created an operational culture where safe driving, proper documentation and equipment condition are simply the expectation, not the exception.

And yes, somewhere this week, somebody is still trying to explain to an inspector why their cargo securement strategy involved “hopes and prayers.” Don’t let that somebody work for you.

As International Roadcheck continues this week and Operation Safe Driver Week approaches this summer, now is the time for carriers to revisit inspection procedures, cargo securement practices, ELD auditing processes and driver coaching efforts.

Because enforcement season is never really about one week. It is about the habits companies build during the other fifty-one.