Between August 2 and 8, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) annual North American Inspectors Championship (NAIC) will take place in Columbus, Ohio. CVSA-certified inspectors – usually charged with ensuring that buses and trucks are safe – will travel from all over the country to compete. CVSA is responsible for ensuring that trucks and buses are safe by inspecting commercial trucks and by making recommendations for best safe practices.

CVSA-certified inspectors in Florida check driver’s logs, truck brakes, tiedowns, tires, and other parts of a truck or bus when a truck or bus pulls in for inspection. By providing these inspections, CVSA-certified inspectors can help remove unsafe trucks and buses from the roads before those vehicles cause Florida bus accidents or truck accidents. Inspectors can also make recommendations for maintenance to ensure that trucks and buses are road-worthy.

The North American Inspectors Championship (NAIC) includes candidates from all over the continent. The theme for the 2010 competition – the 18th hosted by the CVSA — is ‘Education, Performance, Uniformity, and Partnerships.’ Each candidate is evaluated based on seven criteria:

1) North American Standard Level I Inspection Procedures
2) North American Standard Level I Inspection
3) North American Standard Hazardous Materials/Transportation of Dangerous Goods Inspection
4) North American Standard Motorcoach (Level V Passenger Vehicle) Inspection
5) North American Standard Cargo Tank/ Bulk Packaging Inspection
6) North American Standard Out-of-Service Criteria Exam
7) Personal Interview
Based on these criteria, the NAIC will award prizes for inspectors who show the greatest acuity and professionalism. The CSVA hopes that the inspector awards will make motorists more aware of the dedication of CVSA-certified inspectors in preventing truck accidents. The event may also raise awareness of the importance of standardized truck inspections. It is also a good opportunity to thank the CVSA-certified inspectors who help prevent Florida car accidents involving trucks and buses.