Roadside inspections are a part of the trucking industry, but drivers can play a big role in determining the frequency with which they occur. Great West Casualty Company provides us with three factors that commonly trigger roadside inspections—the environment, meaning periods of increased inspections; the condition of the truck, both inside and out; and the driver’s behavior.
Environment
- Periods of increased roadside inspections
- Company SMS results have alerts in the BASICs
- Annual CVSA International Roadcheck campaigns—always research the dates
Equipment
- Cargo not properly secured
- Visible defects—taillights out, placards missing, tire wear, cracked windows/body, DOT info not shown correctly
- Audible air leaks
- Dirty exterior
- Clutter and disarray within interior
Driver Behavior
- Inappropriately reacting to hazards
- Distracted driving—talking on a cell phone
- Not using signals for lane changes or making abrupt lane changes
- Not maintaining proper following distance
- Inaccurate paperwork
- Speeding
- Unclean appearance
There are steps that you and your drivers can take to reduce the number of roadside inspections, which can help prevent possible violations and fines.
- Ensure trailer is placarded properly
- Keep vehicle interior and exterior clean
- Secure cargo properly
- Be polite to the inspector
- Use proper driver techniques—avoid distractions, reduce speed for adverse conditions, yield the right of way, keep at least 6 seconds behind the vehicle in front of you, maintain one lane
- Wear a seatbelt
- Be well-rested, groomed, and cleanly dressed
- Keep log current and properly annotated
For more info, read the full article here.
