I-95 crackdown should last all year

There’s not much more nerve-wracking around here than taking your chances on Interstate 95 next to an 18-wheeler. With narrow lanes, constant on- and off-ramps, limited sight lines and questionable road conditions, the trip is harrowing under the best of circumstances.
Drivers know this and state officials know this, but nothing much is ever done about it. Once a year, though, for three days, the state shows off its regulatory wares with the DMV Roadcheck, an event that sends Department of Motor Vehicles inspectors out on the highways to put a halt to noncomplying truckers. It’s a great idea — these may be the only three days people can feel relatively safe on the roads.
But, of course, violations happen every day, whether they’re caught or not. And it’s less than comforting to hear about the problems officials came up with Tuesday, at the start of the inspection period. "You’d be amazed at what we’re finding out here," said Sgt. Ralph Cafiero, an inspector. "Unlicensed drivers, cracked wheels, steering and brake problems — it’s scary."
Yes, it is scary, as we’re all well aware. There is only one truck route through the area, and I-95 is a bad highway that’s only getting worse. Barring a dramatic breakthrough in feeder barge service or some sort of rail link under the Hudson River, it will continue to be the only cargo path through Fairfield County. As populations and demand keep rising, the problem only stands to worsen.
A bill in the state Assembly to keep weigh stations at the state line open for longer hours makes good sense; it’s tied now to the state budget process, and it’s yet to be seen whether it will survive. But increased enforcement would be a good step. If inspectors are finding so many problems in this well-publicized three-day stretch, it’s a good bet there are problems the rest of the year, too.
All of which makes the DMV crackdown welcome, but disappointing. The highway is dangerous, and hazardous trucks (and cars) don’t help. We’ve avoided for a long time the kind of mass-death tragedy on the interstate that might inspire some real changes, but it’s probably only a matter of time. Until then, we cross our fingers every time we climb that on-ramp.