The Albuquerque community, having grown tired of replacing windshields damaged by debris thrown from semitrailers and fearing the big rigs as they rumble through the city, is fighting back.
Citizen complaints regarding unsafe semitrailers, as many as five per week, have prompted the New Mexico Department of Public Safety to begin cracking down on semis found with unsecured loads or carrying too much weight, said Peter Olson, communications director for the department.
"Our goal is to make truckers who use our highways more responsible and do their part to make the roads safer," Olson said.
The department will begin saturation patrols and weight compliance checkpoints on I-25 between Albuquerque and Santa Fe today. Olson said the increase in observation should help remedy what he called a "big problem in New Mexico."
"People should be able to drive through the I-25 corridor without having to worry that an improperly loaded truck is going to throw some debris and damage their car," Olson said.
The patrols are expected to last through the week.
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The Department of Public Safety was aware of the problem from the growing public outcry and has been trying to force accountability on the truckers for some time.
Several weeks ago, it conducted a similar saturation patrol near the Big-I, with eye-opening results.
Olson said the department found an overwhelming number of semitrailers in violation of state laws regarding safety procedures.
Lt. Chris Mayrant of the Department of Public Safety's Motor Transportation Division, said the department hopes to gain some important information from the patrols about the problem of unsafe truckers.
Besides investigating the complaints of property damage from broken windshields and unsafe driving on I-25, Mayrant said the department hopes to educate the public on the importance of cargo securement.
"It's not just semi-trucks that pose a threat to the public," he said. "Private motorists are also not correctly fastening cargo and creating dangerous driving conditions."
Mayrant said anyone found in violation of hauling unsecured loads will face penalties upward of $200.
UNM students who experienced vehicle damage from flying debris while driving on I-25 say they hope this attempt to make the highway safer is successful.
Adam Otero, a UNM junior, said he has had to replace two windshields after they were damaged from passing semi-trucks.
"But it's not about the money," he said. "Sooner or later something a lot worse than a cracked windshield can happen if the roads aren't made safer."
