FREDERIKSTED — The Virgin Islands Office of Highway Safety (VIOHS) has as its stated goal to incur no commercial vehicle fatalities every year.
To achieve that lofty goal, the Virgin Islands Police Department assists the VIOHS by inspecting commercial motor carriers on a regular basis.
Some years, the office is not so lucky. In 2011 and 2014, one death occurred in each of those years due to commercial vehicles in the territory.
VIPD Motor Carrier Officer Javon Benjamin was out inspecting commercial trucks for safety at the VIOHS parking lot in Mars Hill this morning.
The VIOHS was created in 1974 and is the agency responsible for developing and implementing strategies to reduce traffic crashes, injuries, and fatalities.
The mission of the VIOHS is to reduce fatalities, injuries and economic losses resulting from motor vehicle crashes through the administration of the Virgin Islands Highway Safety Plan.
The Highway Safety Plan (HSP) is a coordinated program of strategies addressing the serious societal problems of property damage, injuries and fatalities resulting from crashes. It identifies programs and projects that have been designated to mitigate the traffic crash problem. Each year the VIOHS prepares an HSP that describes the projects recommended for funding for the federal fiscal year.
Funding for the recommended projects are awarded to the VIOHS from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. Funds are provided to implement programs that meet the national objective. These programs are Emergency Medical Services, Alcohol Impaired Driving Prevention Program, Occupant Protection Program, Police Traffic Services, Highway Engineering, Bicycle Safety, Pedestrian Safety, School Bus Safety and Youth Alcohol Program.
The VIOHS also administers the Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP). Funding for this program is awarded to the VIOHS from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration. The purpose of MCSAP is to improve commercial motor vehicle safety and promote uniformity in compliance and enforcement. The Virgin Islands Police Department is the sub-grantee of these funds and is responsible for safety inspections and hazardous materials transportation compliance.