Application of the Fourth Amendment to the Inspection of Commercial Motor Vehicles and Drivers

TRB's National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Legal Research Digest 43: Application of the Fourth Amendment to the Inspection of Commercial Motor Vehicles and Drivers reviews court decisions, statutes, administrative regulations, and other authorities concerning commercial motor vehicle stops and inspections, and suggests guidelines to assist state law enforcement personnel in stopping and inspecting such vehicles without violating the U.S. Constitution's Fourth Amendment.

The report should be useful to law enforcement personnel, training officials, attorneys, legislative personnel, and planning officials. The paper is organized as follows:
(I) Introduction;
(II) Warrant Requirement;
(III) Exceptions to the Warrant Requirement;
(IV) Searches of Homes or Dwellings;
(V) The Motor Carrier Safety Assistance Program (MCSAP); and
(VI) Summary of Principles and Guidelines.