The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) recently released the results of its 2026 International Roadcheck, with inspectors conducting 54,575 commercial motor vehicle and driver inspections across North America during the three-day event. The results show that 81% of vehicles and 94.2% of drivers inspected had no out-of-service (OOS) violations.

The alliance reported that inspectors placed 10,350 vehicles and 3,184 drivers OOS. Inspectors also affixed 17,680 CVSA decals to eligible vehicles that passed comprehensive safety inspections without critical mechanical or OOS violations.

Vehicle inspection results

Inspectors conducted 44,047 Level I, II, and V vehicle inspections and identified 13,924 OOS vehicle violations. Brake systems were the most frequently cited violation, with 3,379 violations accounting for 24.3% of all vehicle out-of-service violations.

Tires ranked second with 2,914 violations, followed by 20% defective brakes with 2,072. Cargo securement ranked fourth with 1,724 violations, while lights accounted for 1,659.

Combining brake systems and defective brakes, there were 5,451 total brake-related violations.

Cargo securement was the vehicle violation focus for this year’s Roadcheck. Inspectors identified violations involving freight that was inadequately restrained, immobilized, locked, secured, tied down, packed, or monitored.

Driver inspection results

Inspectors conducted 53,271 Level I, II, and III inspections involving commercial motor vehicle drivers. A total of 3,184 drivers were placed OOS.

The most common driver out-of-service violation was not having a medical card, accounting for 1,072 violations, or 27% of all driver out-of-service violations. Hours-of-service (HOS) violations ranked second with 929, followed by no commercial driver’s license with 620.

English language proficiency (ELP) violations accounted for 361 driver out-of-service violations, while false records of duty status accounted for 266.

ELD tampering, falsification, or manipulation was the driver violation focus for 2026. Inspectors issued 146 out-of-service orders for ELD tampering, making it the seventh most-cited driver OOS violation in North America.

Hazardous materials inspections

Inspectors conducted 2,590 inspections of vehicles transporting hazardous materials or dangerous goods (HM/DG). Those inspections resulted in 368 vehicle and 63 driver OOS violations.

Placarding was the top HM/DG out-of-service violation, with 40 violations accounting for 28.4% of all HM/DG OOS violations. Loading violations ranked second with 38, followed by shipping papers with 25.

What this means for the trucking industry

The 2026 Roadcheck results point fleets toward several areas that warrant continued attention, particularly brakes, tires, cargo securement, driver credentials, HOS, and ELD records.

The concentration of brake-related violations also reinforces the value of thorough preventive maintenance and pre-trip inspections. For fleet managers, the ELD findings show that compliance extends beyond having the required technology in the cab—accurate records and proper use remain critical.

The results also give fleets a practical checklist for preparing vehicles and drivers for roadside inspections, with mechanical condition, documentation, cargo securement, and electronic logging practices all affecting compliance.