ISP cracking down on truckers with low windshield mounts

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SOUTH BEND, Ind. - Indiana State Police are cracking down on semi-truck drivers but this time around, troopers aren’t looking for seat belt violations or speedy drivers.

If you’re a semi truck driver and you have your cell phone/GPS device mount too low on your windshield, police say you’re causing danger to more than just yourself and they can stop you and slap down a fine.

“The important thing is the protection of the population and the protection of the driver,” said Rich Stopczynski, Sales Executive at Hill Truck Sales in South Bend.

Truckers and those in the “big rig” industry across Indiana are giving mixed responses to the recent Facebook post.

The reason, reoccurring violations of a law put in place by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration years ago that says semi drivers can’t have their windshield device mount too low. According to the FMCSA, the device mount is supposed to be within 6 inches of the top of their windshield.

“United States Department of Transportation commissioned some research on this very subject and they’ve determined through a lot of testing that a driver who attempts to manipulate a GPS or mobile phone while he or she is driving, will actually take their eyes off the road for an average of 3.8 seconds. What that results in is 80,000 pounds of freight going down the road for at least 300 feet or the length of a football field,” said Stopczynski.

And while long time industry salesman, Stopczynski says it’s so important, hundreds of others took to social media with different opinions.

“The research on historical data usually will bear out, and the opinion of the driver will not, so it’s important that the driver pays attention to the laws and regulations because they are there for that reason,” said Stopczynski.

Regardless of what side you see more appropriate for the job. the law is in place and police are warning you.

“The bottom line on device mounting is that basically want to make sure it’s well within the drivers arms reach, that it doesn’t force them to change positions in the seat, or take their eyes off the road. That’s the most important common sense way to look at it,” said Stopczynski.

Indiana state police say a violation like this could cost you some big bucks. Depending on the county and the court, ticket violations range from about $150 to $200 for this particular violation.

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