Pre-Trip Inspections Essay Essay Example

Pre-Trip Inspections Essay Essay Road accident is a major security concern in the main roads. There are several causes of route accidents but the unexpected events in our roads are ever blamed on the driver. This is because it is assumed that the driver is in full control over the vehicle. However. the major causes of route slaughter in any portion of the universe include mechanical jobs and failures in the vehicle. bad main road designs. unequal route care or foolhardy drive or a combination. It is unfortunate to observe that despite the high figure of people diing on the roads. the route accidents can be prevented to some degree. We will write a custom essay sample on Pre-Trip Inspections Essay specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now We will write a custom essay sample on Pre-Trip Inspections Essay specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer We will write a custom essay sample on Pre-Trip Inspections Essay specifically for you FOR ONLY $16.38 $13.9/page Hire Writer The Department of Transport every bit good as the jurisprudence enforcement bureaus has made several efforts to implement traffic regulations in order to cut down the figure of route slaughter and related deceases. One of these steps has been the debut of pre-trip review. This paper will analyse the different facets and importance of pre-trip review as a safety step. Pre-Trip Inspection The pre-trip reviews are compulsory demand by the Department of Transport as one of the steps to cut down route slaughter. However. this regulation is one of the most profaned regulations by commercial vehicle drivers today. Furthermore. bulk of the members of the populace are incognizant of these demands. Majority believes that a pre-trip review is an review done by the driver before he or she gets behind the wheel but that is non true. All commercial vehicle drivers are required by the jurisprudence to transport out and log a pre-trip and post-trip review as stipulated in the Highway Traffic Act. A commercial vehicle is designated as any vehicle deliberation over four and half tones. a public service vehicle with a capacity greater than eleven including the driver or a school coach. Pre-trip review of commercial vehicles is carried out by the driver before the first trip every twenty-four hours. In some instances. one trip may take several yearss. In such instances. the pre-trip review must be done before the trip starts and subsequent reviews should be done non later that each remainder halt ( Broemsen. 2009 ) . The review demands by the Department of Transport require that the driver of a commercial vehicle should be satisfied that the vehicle is in good operating status before the start of the trip. The driver can merely be assured of the safety of the vehicle on the route if he or she reviews the last driver study on the status of the vehicle. The driver is expected to subscribe the study to bespeak that he reviewed the study and all the reported mechanical mistakes have been repaired. A commercial vehicle driver can merely be satisfied that the vehicle is in good working status if all the indispensable accoutrements of the vehicle are in order. This includes the brakes. brakes connexions. manus brakes. maneuvering wheel. headlamps. signals. wipers. driving mirrors. tyres and matching devices. Some of these accoutrements such as mirrors need to be checked any clip during the trip whenever the vehicle is parked ( Federal Register. 2006 ) . Safety of the vehicle. lading. the driver and other route users is an of import ground why the Department of Transport enforces pre-trip review. The jurisprudence therefore requires the truck driver to guarantee that all the exigency equipments are in order during the review. The driver is considered to hold committed traffic offense incase he or she fails to utilize the exigency equipment whenever there is demand. Many commercial vehicles are involved in the transit of lading. Inspection of the lading on board and the lading security system is of import before the start of the trip. The thrust should guarantee that the weight of the lading is good distributed and the security devices are in order ( Federal Register. 2006 ) . Different organisation or conveyance companies may hold different policies to better the safety and care of their commercial vehicles. Regardless of such policies. the Department of Transport requires that the driver must determine that the vehicle is in good running status before the start of the first trip. The Highway Traffic Act requires that the driver present a legible written study to the necessary authorization after the trip review. However. this is seldom done. The study should incorporate the description of the vehicle such as the home base figure. the dawdler towed or the unit figure depending on the organization’s policies. The day of the month of review and the mechanical defects noted if any should besides be recorded on the study. In instances where there are no defects or safety concern that have been noted by the driver. he or she is expected to do a statement to that consequence. The study is valid with the signature and name of the driver or the person who was responsible for the review ( Broemsen. 2009 ) . If the driver or the inspector detects or suspects any defect or safety concern. he or she should describe to the relevant authorization in conformity with the organisation or company policies. However. if the defect noted is of sensible safety concern. this should be reported instantly and the relevant steps to rectify the job be taken before the trip can get down. The jurisprudence farther requires that a driver of any commercial vehicle should hold the current transcript of the review study of the vehicle and the dawdler if any at all clip. The advantages of such pre-trip can non be underestimated. Checking the conditions of the vehicle before the start of the trip is cost effectual and increases safety. This is as a consequence of decreased holds as a consequence of dislocations which save on the cost every bit good as important decrease of accidents in the roads as a consequence of mechanical jobs that can easy be rectified before the start of the trip. By following the systematic process of review provided by the section of conveyance. the driver or inspector will transport out an effectual review within a really short clip ( Sulek. 2005 ) . A commercial vehicle such as a truck tractor can cover 1000s of stat mis without dislocations or doing sensible holds to the driver if it is taken attention of decently. Pre-trip review is one of the basic processs that are recommended for proper attention of the vehicle. The basic importance of this review is the cost saved by the conveyance company or the organisation if the guidelines are followed to the latter. Inspection ensures that the investing of the company is protected and the live of the drivers every bit good as other route users are non at hazard. Effective review ensures that common booby traps associated with the conveyance industry which are by and large expensive are avoided which saves on the running cost ( Broemsen. 2009 ) . In any conveyance concern. the greatest cost incurred by the proprietors is the care cost. It is dearly-won for the proprietor of the commercial vehicle to replace worn out parts every bit good as paying the cost of fix. The cost is much higher when the concern lost during unneeded dislocations is considered. Every clip a commercial vehicle is out of the route as a consequence of dislocations that can be avoided. the truck proprietor loses money. This in many instances leads to interrupt of the full concern in the long tally due to the associated loses. Any experient commercial vehicle driver or proprietor is cognizant of the fact that preventative steps are really of import in commercial vehicles operations if they have to remain in concern and do net income. This is true even without sing the increased safety as a consequence of timely review of the vehicles ( Sulek. 2005 ) . It is apparent that effectual pre-trip review prevents the happening of accidents and dislocations. It is considerable safer and cost effectual to mend a minor mistake detected during review that mending a monolithic dislocation on the route which may be associated with other uncalled for costs such as accidents and incommodiousnesss. Pre-trip review gives the driver the assurance in the conditions of the vehicle and the likeliness of being involved in accident as a consequence of mechanical dislocation is reduced significantly. It is estimated that bulk of accidents affecting commercial vehicles are as a consequence of mechanical dislocations and can easy be avoided by review to observe the lack before the start of the trip ( Sulek. 2005 ) . Following the pre-trip review guidelines for all commercial vehicles is hence non of import merely because it is a legal demand but is an of import process that ensures that the investing. the driver and other route users are safe. It saves on cost every bit good as lives. The commercial vehicle driver driving a faulty vehicle wittingly or unwittingly should be cognizant of the fact that he or she portions the route with other automobilists and walkers and is seting their lives at hazard ( Broemsen. 2009 ) . In a nutshell. it is a traffic offense punishable by the jurisprudence for any commercial vehicle driver to drive on the route holding non conducted the pre-trip review as stipulated in the Department of Transport counsel. The driver is apt for prosecution in a tribunal of jurisprudence if he is found driving a commercial vehicle without a transcript of the review sheet. However. as stated earlier. this is one of the most profaned compulsory ordinances in the traffic regulations and the jurisprudence hatchet mans do non see this jurisprudence every bit of import as it is expected. It is of import to observe that during the pre-trip review. the driver has over two 100 things to look into on the commercial vehicle if the review has to be effectual. This is non to state that the pre-trip review is likely to take the better portion of the driver’s twenty-four hours. The review can take less than 30 proceedingss which is much less compared to the cost of the safety hazards and dislocations incase it is non done. Even an extended review by the relevant authorization ever takes less than one hr and includes mechanical review every bit good as review of the drivers report among other things ( Broemsen. 2009 ) . One of the most of import facets the driver needs to look into is the conditions of the Surs. Cost related to tyres’ jobs is the largest individual dislocation disbursal in conveyance concern. It accounts for more than a 3rd of the care cost of commercial vehicles. It is hence really of import for the driver to pass considerable sum of clip guaranting that the Surs are in good working status before the start of the trip and during the trip whenever the vehicle is parked. Nine out of 10 commercial vehicles dislocations are caused by under hyperbolic Surs ( Federal Register. 2006 ) . Under hyperbolic Surs besides contribute to cut down lifetime of the Sur by up to a 3rd. Under hyperbolic Surs are besides responsible for fuel inefficiency and heat buildup. The driver should besides inspect the Sur togss. tear and wear which is irregular and clefts and take the necessary steps. Proper working Surs guarantee the cost of dislocations is decreased and safety is enhanced ( Federal Register. 2006 ) . Brake failure is a major cause of accident in both commercial and non commercial vehicles. Checking the interrupting systems on a regular basis is hence an of import facet of commercial vehicle review. The criterion every bit good as the parking brakes should be in good on the job conditions before the driver is satisfied to get down the day’s trip. The sum of liner should be sensible and the systems should be maintained in conformity with the guidelines. This counsel requires the driver to look into that the force per unit area systems are in good working status including the rate of gas linkage. The rate of force per unit area build up and low force per unit area sensing systems should be proper in order to give timely dismay. However. the most important cheque for the interruption systems is the fluid leakages. This is the first and most of import review a commercial vehicle driver needs to look into which can be easy noticed by fluids on the land around the vehicle. This should be followed by look intoing the coolants. fluids and oil degree in the goon ( Federal Register. 2006 ) . It is of import to guarantee that all the gages such as temperature. force per unit area. fuel and oil gages are in good on the job status. No driver in his right head can bury to look into the fuel degree instantly after turning on the vehicle. Checking the electric systems of the vehicle is an every bit of import facet of vehicle review to determine safety. The warning visible radiations. turning signals. brake signals. headlamps every bit good as the doorbells should be in good order to avoid uncalled for minor accidents due to hapless communicating with other drivers on the route. In general. the full electric constituent of vehicle should be in good on the job status. Frayed or lose wires are safety jeopardies because they can be easy exposed and possible cause fire as a consequence of short-circuiting which may be really hazardous particularly if the lading in extremely inflammable ( Federal Register. 2006 ) . Decision Due to the big figure of route slaughter in the roads affecting commercial vehicles. for the safety of the investing. the lading or riders. the driver and other route users. it is of import to guarantee that all safety steps are taken. One of the most of import safety steps is to guarantee that the vehicle is in good on the job status. The driver demand to guarantee that the truck has no mechanical mistakes by conductivity a pre-trip review. This is a demand by the jurisprudence though it is one of the most profaned mandatary traffic Torahs. Reference Broemsen. M. ( 2009 ) . Commercial Truck Maintenance: The Importance of a Pre-Trip Inspection. retrieved on 10th May 2010 from: hypertext transfer protocol: //www. goarticles. com/cgi-bin/showa. cgi? C=1598113. Federal Register ( 2006 ) . Title 49 – Transportation system: Department of Transportation Parts 300 – 399. ISBN 1577857763. ProStar Publications. Sulek. J. M. A ; Lind. M. R. ( 2005 ) . â€Å"Fail-Safe Methods for Paratransit Safety. † Journal of Public Transportation. Vol. 8. No. 4. pp 65-66