By law, truck drivers must verify that their vehicles are in good working order before operating them. Pre-trip vehicle inspections confirm the safety and functionality of brakes, tires, steering mechanisms, and more. They assess the condition of cargo tie-downs, lighting, and trailer hitches. If you’ve been harmed in a truck accident, evidence of a failed or missed pre-trip vehicle inspection could help you get the compensation you deserve. Here’s why pre-trip vehicle inspections are so important.
Commercial Trucks Drive Long Distances and Sustain Extensive Wear
Even the best commercial vehicles can experience sudden mechanical failures. Although traveling speed plays a major hand in determining the severity of crashes, the heavier weight of commercial vehicles makes them dangerous even at low speeds. Tire blowouts, braking system malfunctions, and failed steering wheels can lead to devastating accidents and life-altering or life-ending injuries.
Long-distance truck drivers cover hundreds of miles each day. Short-distance, in-city trucks experience the ravages of stop-and-go traffic and repeated acceleration and deceleration. Commercial trucks frequently carry maximum cargo, too. Heavy cargo wears down tire treads and requires brakes to apply greater stopping force. As a result, commercial trucks need more frequent oil changes, tune-ups, and tire replacements than standard passenger vehicles. They also require more frequent repairs.
Pre-trip inspections ensure that the ravages of a truck’s last trip haven’t undermined its current performance and safety. They allow truck drivers and trucking companies to perform essential repairs or remove dangerous vehicles from operation.
Pre-Trip Inspections Provide Many Important Safety Benefits
All major highways have the remains of blown-out tires along their shoulders. When commercial trucks blow tires, their drivers can instantly lose control. The sudden mechanical reactions of blowouts include violent steering pulls, flying shrapnel, and tremendous drag. When deflated tires act like anchors, traveling speeds sharply decline.
Flying debris from blowouts can strike and potentially break the windshields of trailing autos. Fast-moving tire treads can also damage trucks’ brake lines.
Commercial truck tires explode with up to 100 PSI of force. The fragments that fly off can puncture the sidewalls of adjacent tires. With dual-tire configurations, when one tire blows out, its twin bears 100% of the weight. This can lead to multiple secondary blowouts that further diminish driver control.
Among the many things that pre-trip vehicle inspections consider are the tread and overall integrity of tires. Drivers must check inflation pressure, the integrity of sidewalls, and dual assembly spacing. They should look for worn rims, loose lug nuts, excessive rust, and poorly sealed valve caps.
The faster that trucks travel and the more weight they carry, the more braking force they require. The braking systems in commercial trucks have many high-pressure air and friction components. As a result, they also have multiple potential failure points:
- Chaffed or corroded rubber hoses
- Glazed brake drums or pads and insufficient stopping friction
- Slack adjusters and pushrods
- Leaky wheel seals
- Damaged air compressor belts
- Failed pumps
Pre-trip vehicle inspections consider these potential failure points and more. They can prevent runaway truck scenarios, jackknifing, and dangerously extended stopping distances.
During pre-trip safety inspections, inspectors must examine the entire physical pathway from the steering wheel to the point at which the steering system connects with the tires. This includes the pitman arm, the steering gearbox, the steering pump and reservoir, the drag link, and the tie rods and ends. They should look for fluid leaks, excessive free play, cracks, and illegal weld repairs.
Inspecting a truck’s steering assembly can prevent head-on cross-median crashes, uncontrollable road departures, sideswipe collisions, and rollovers caused by overcorrection. Verifying the functionality of steering systems also gives truck drivers a greater ability to mitigate unexpected events with skillful driving maneuvers.
Malfunctioning and failed mechanical components aren’t the only causes of devastating truck accidents. Commercial trucks can cause serious physical harm to other vehicles and drivers even when all their components function correctly. Poorly secured cargo can fly off trucks at incredible speeds to smash windshields, create road obstructions, cause jackknifing accidents, or trigger rollover events.
Pre-trip inspections check for failed door latches and weak door pins, loose straps and tarp covers, and leaning or shifted pallets. They check for strap degradation caused by weather or chemical exposure. Pre-trip inspections prevent loose tarps from turning into massive sails that blind trailing drivers. They ensure that cargo remains securely contained even during sharp turns, hard stops, and rapid acceleration.
Pre-trip inspections additionally ensure the safety and integrity of trailering systems. These checks prevent uncontrolled swaying, unintended decoupling, tandem axle slideouts, and structural trailer collapse. They also prevent issues with dragging landing gear and rear-end, under-ride collisions.
Pre-trip inspections promote optimum visibility in all driving conditions. Inspectors should verify that all headlights, brake lights, and other safety and occupational lighting work reliably. They should check the integrity and functionality of mirrors and windshield wipers as well.
Pre-Trip Vehicle Inspections Are Federally Mandated
The risk for mechanical failure, cargo loss, and trailering issues is so high that pre-trip vehicle inspections are federally mandated for all commercial trucks. From measuring fluid levels and engine performance to ensuring adequate stopping power, these assessments play an important role in keeping motorists and roadways safe.
Regulations from the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) dictate that truck drivers cannot legally operate their vehicles unless they’ve ensured that all parts and accessories are in good working order. In addition to requiring pre-trip vehicle inspections, the FMCSA also requires truck drivers to review the post-trip inspection reports of previous operators. This is done to ensure that all recommended maintenance and repairs have been completed.
Although drivers aren’t required to document pre-trip inspections when no safety issues are detected, many companies maintain detailed digital reports. In the event of truck accidents, these records prove that truck owners have done their due diligence.
Determining fault can be challenging for any accident. When commercial trucks cause physical injuries, property damage, or loss of life, negligent maintenance and neglected inspection reports are likely factors. A seasoned truck accident lawyer like the attorneys at Forbes Law Offices will request copies of written or digital inspection records along with other evidence. Finding errors, oversights, or omissions in vehicle inspections can be key for getting victims the compensation they deserve.
