The first roving patrol by the new North Hills Regional Vehicle Inspection Team produced a troubling finding that confirmed the need for this initiative.

Of the 66 traffic stops made during a six-hour period in northern Allegheny County last week, 25 traffic citations were issued for improperly secured loads.

That there currently is so much carelessness in transporting cargoes — so much irresponsibility — raises the question of whether penalties for such violations should be tougher.

The current structure of fines apparently isn't having the necessary impact.

The inspection team's patrols were carried out Tuesday on Route 19, McKnight Road, Route 910 and Babcock Boulevard in Marshall, Pine, Ross and McCandless townships. It's possible some of the vehicles receiving citations could have been headed to Butler County, or maybe already had been here, posing potential danger to local people using the highways.

The next roving patrols will take place during the week of Oct. 23 or Oct. 30 and will focus on the Route 8 corridor. After that, the inspection team should not announce target areas and dates.

The inspection team is a result of an accident in April that claimed the lives of a Cranberry Township man and two of his 4-year-old triplets on Route 8 in Richland Township. The minivan in which the victims were riding was struck by a runaway wood chipper that apparently was not properly secured to the truck pulling it.

The driver of that truck is facing trial in November on charges of homicide by vehicle and involuntary manslaughter.

Last week's patrols produced a measure of surprise for Allegheny County District Attorney Stephen Zappala Jr., who didn't anticipate the number of violations found.

"Obviously, we have a problem," Zappala said. "Some people just don't get it."

In his expression of concern surrounding the number of violations detected, he was referring to the many news reports that followed the April accident. No one should have missed the message about the need for special safety vigilance.

In addition to the 25 citations for improperly secured loads, two citations were issued for safety violations involving towed vehicles.

It was pointed out by Northern Regional Police Chief Robert Amann that all of the 66 vehicles stopped during the roving patrol had some kind of violation, prompting Amann to comment that "we still have a (safety) problem in the North Hills. They're not getting the message."

And, if there is a serious safety problem in the North Hills, there is probably a similar safety problem across Butler County.

It is to be hoped that last week was the beginning of a big achievement on the safety front that will extend beyond the North Hills area.

"We don't want to see (an accident like the one in April) again, and that's why we're going to do this over and over and over until the public understands — and certainly these people in these commercial businesses who pull these trailers," Zappala said. "We want them to understand it only takes a couple of minutes to do it right."

The 10 police departments involved in last week's operation deserve praise for their commitment to the initiative. And even if not part of the special regional inspection force, police agencies across the region should launch their own efforts to stop and ticket commercial vehicles with unstable loads or trailer-related violations.

Improperly secured loads and vehicles being towed in an unsafe way should be removed from the highways, and those responsible for such violations should pay fines stiff enough to ensure that they spend the few minutes it takes to do it right.