SAN DIEGO, Calif. — With drug-related violence escalating along stretches of the U.S.-Mexican border, the Transportation Security Administration is warning truckers to be careful when crossing or making deliveries in the area.

The agency outlines many threats faced by trucking companies involved in deliveries or pick-ups across the Mexican border and provides guidance to help ensure the safety and security of truck drivers and their loads.

More than 200 Americans have been killed along the border since 2004 and robberies, homicides, petty thefts, kidnappings, and carjackings have all increased as well, with notable spikes in Tijuana and northern Baja California.

"Truck drivers may face an elevated risk of being a crime victim as their loads represent a potentially easy payoff for criminals," said Don L. Rondeau, director of TCA’s Highway Information Sharing and Analysis Center. "We’re strongly urging … trucking companies and owner-operators to exercise extreme caution when making deliveries or pick-ups along the Mexican border."

The Highway ISAC issued guidelines for trucking companies and drivers with scheduled deliveries and/or pick-ups in or close to Mexico:

— Report in with operations headquarters or dispatchers at every scheduled or non-scheduled stop. Provide dispatcher with detailed location and next destination information.

— Establish a duress code for the prescribed route that allows the driver to effectively communicate potential problems in the presence of potential criminals

— Avoid driving on potentially unsafe roads and stick to the toll roads whenever possible.

— And check with cell phone providers prior to departure to ensure that the driver’s cell phone is capable of roaming on GSM or 3G international networks.

Truck drivers witnessing potential criminal activities should contact Highway ISAC’s First Observer program at 888-217-5902.

— via Truckinginfo.com