3 Tips to Prepare for CVSA’s 2026 International Roadcheck

The Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance’s (CVSA) International Roadcheck returns this year, May 12-14, 2026. Throughout this three-day event, CVSA-certified inspectors will conduct heightened roadside inspections on commercial vehicles and drivers across the U.S., Canada and Mexico. As the event approaches, fleets should review the key focus areas identified by CVSA and develop a strategy to prep for potential inspections.

With an average of 13 trucks inspected each minute, CVSA’s Roadcheck is one of the largest safety and compliance initiatives of its kind, and the stakes are high. Poor inspection results can lead to lower CSA scores or drivers being placed out of service. In 2025, inspectors conducted more than 56,000 commercial motor vehicle, driver and cargo inspections, resulting in a vehicle out-of-service rate of 18.1% and a driver out-of-service rate of 5.9%. 

2026 CVSA Roadcheck focus areas 

Each year, CVSA selects a special focus on one driver violation category and one vehicle violation category. In 2026, inspectors will concentrate on: 

• Driver focus: Electronic logging devices (ELDs). The focus here will be on tampering, falsification or manipulation of hours-of-service records. During the 2025 Roadcheck, falsification of record of duty status was the second most-cited driver violation and five of the top 10 driver violations were related to hours-of-service or ELD compliance.
• Vehicle focus: Cargo securement. Cargo must be properly secured to prevent leaking, spilling, blowing or falling from the vehicle. In 2025, over 18,000 violations were issued for cargo not being properly secured, along with more than 16,000 violations for vehicle components that were not adequately secured.

Best practices to prepare for the CVSA Roadcheck

CVSA offers guidance to help carriers set themselves up for success at Roadcheck. Many fleets use the weeks leading up to the event to revisit internal processes and tighten up any gaps in compliance. 

Here are three ways your fleet can prepare for the CVSA Roadcheck: 

1. Top 5 driver violations in 2025 

Driver-related violations remain one of the most common reasons vehicles are placed out of service during Roadcheck. The top 5 driver violations in 2025 were: 

1. Hours-of-service violations. In 2025, HOS accounted for 32.4% of all driver out-of-service violations across the U.S., Canada and Mexico.
2. No valid CDL or operating with a suspended license
3. Missing or expired medical examiner’s certificate
4. False or inaccurate logs
5. Suspended DL or CDL

Because ELD compliance is a 2026 focus area, inspectors will take a closer look at records of duty status (RODS) and supporting documentation. During inspections, officers may review: 

• Evidence of ELD tampering or manipulation
• Unassigned or missing driving time
• Edits to logs without proper annotations
• Signs of concealed driving time or off-duty misuse

To prepare, fleets should use the weeks leading up to Roadcheck to proactively review driver records. Reinforcing compliance now can help identify issues early, reducing the likelihood of out-of-service violations during the event. 

2. Top 5 vehicle violations in 2025 

Vehicle-related violations cited during Roadcheck mirror those identified in routine inspections, but with greater enforcement intensity. In 2025, the most common out-of-service vehicle violations in the U.S. were:  

1. Brake systems
2. Tires
3. 20% defective brakes
4. Lighting systems
5. Cargo securement 

Looking ahead to 2026 Roadcheck, cargo securement will be a primary focus area. Inspectors will examine how loads are contained and restrained during transport. According to CVSA inspection guidance, inspectors may evaluate:

• Whether cargo is properly blocked or braced to prevent shifting
• Whether tailboards and end gates are properly secured in stake pockets
• Condition and number of tiedowns and anchor points
• Signs that cargo could leak, spill, blow or fall from the vehicle 

3. Prepare drivers for the inspection process 

During Roadcheck inspections, officers typically conduct the North American Standard Level I Inspection, a 37-step procedure that evaluates both driver operating requirements as well as vehicle mechanical condition. This may include checking safety equipment like fire extinguishers or safety triangles. 

If a driver is stopped during a Roadcheck inspection, train them to be respectful and cooperative while making sure all the required documents are easily accessible, including:

• Commercial driver’s license (CDL)
• Medical examiner’s certificate
• Vehicle registration
• Proof of insurance
• Record of duty status
• ELD 

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