ALEA’s MCSU Receives Strides For Safety Award from FMCSA After Thirty Percent Decrease in CMV-Related Fatal Crashes

The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency's (ALEA) Motor Carrier Safety Unit (MCSU) has been honored with the Strides For Safety Award as recognition for its achievement and continued commitment to enhancing commercial vehicle safety as well as crash reduction within the State of Alabama. This accolade highlights ALEA's significant contributions to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's (FMCSA) safety mission and goals. According to the FMCSA, Alabama saw approximately a 30 percent decrease in commercial motor vehicle-involved fatality crashes from 2021 to 2023.

ALEA Secretary Hal Taylor said, "We are honored to receive this prestigious Award, which demonstrates the collective efforts of our Agency to ensure we maintain the highest standards of safety on our roads. This award not only represents the current efforts of our Motor Carrier Safety Unit, but it is also a culmination of the past three years where both federal and state partners worked together to achieve this goal. Through these partnerships, rigorous enforcement, and proactive initiatives, our Motor Carrier Safety Unit has established an environment of safety for both commercial vehicle drivers and the general public."

The award ceremony, attended by key stakeholders, Agency officials, and safety advocates, recognized ALEA's exemplary performance and its pivotal role in achieving the safety objectives outlined by the FMCSA. ALEA's proactive approach, coupled with the Agency's dedication to education and enforcement, has resulted in measurable improvements in commercial vehicle safety across Alabama.

Director of ALEA's Department of Public Safety (DPS), Colonel Jon Archer said, "Our Motor Carrier Safety Unit has set a commendable standard in the realm of commercial vehicle safety. The tireless efforts by employees within this unit have not only improved safety within the state but have also significantly contributed to the broader safety mission outlined by the FMCSA."

The mission of the Motor Carrier Safety Unit, which is a unit within ALEA's Highway Patrol Division, is to enhance the enjoyment of life and to ensure the safe movement of traffic through proactive enforcement to reduce traffic crashes involving commercial motor vehicles. According to the FMCSA, Alabama only documented 11 fatal crashes in 2023 where the commercial motor vehicle contributed to the crash. In Fiscal Year 2023, ALEA's MCSU discovered 11,548 out-of-service driver and vehicle violations and inspected 50,760 commercial motor vehicles. Last year, FMCSA gave Alabama a 100 percent rating in the areas of inspection timeliness, vehicle identification number (VIN) accuracy and 99 percent in inspection accuracy, crash timeliness and crash accuracy. Additionally, this unit conducts roadside inspections, safety presentations and Compliance Safety and Accountability (CSA) investigations to increase the likelihood that safety defects, driver deficiencies, and unsafe carrier practices will be detected and corrected.

ALEA remains steadfast in its pursuit of excellence, contributing significantly to the broader safety goals outlined by the FMCSA.