For truck drivers, the pre-trip inspection is an extremely vital part in ensuring your truck is in optimal health. In addition to safety reasons, you are required by law to complete a pre-trip inspection as well as an inspection once within every 24 hours while on the road.
At this time, there are no specific rules on how long a pre-trip inspection should take. However, a full check should take roughly between 30 to 50 minutes. A key to a good inspection is to take your time and be as thorough as you possibly can.
Not to mention, it’s best you find the problem before an inspector does to alleviate fines and high penalties.
Since pre-trip inspections can take time away from the road, many truckers tend to rush through them. Therefore, many checks get overlooked. Here are some of the most commonly overlooked check:
#1. Chock Your Wheels
So simple, that truckers often forget to do it. Simply put, chocks are a safety measure that help avert unintentional movement of the truck. It’s likely that your engine will be running at times during the inspection. Chocks help keep your vehicle stable while performing the inspection.
#2. Cleanliness
Furthermore, you should keep a clean workspace. A junk-filled truck not only reflects the type of person you are, but it can present many dangers as well. For instance, garbage can hinder mechanical operations by getting stuck under pedals. Additionally, loose objects can become dangerous projectiles in the event of an accident.
#3. Brakes
Moreover, inspecting your truck’s braking system thoroughly is vital to the pre-trip inspection. A well-performed braking inspection should be done from the inside and outside, as well as over the wheels, and under the trailer too.
#4. Emergency Kit
Additionally, your truck should contain an emergency kit. This should include spare fuses and circuit breakers, along with warning hazard triangles and a fire extinguisher. Apart from this, if other drivers use your truck, it is important to test out everything that’s in your kit beforehand.
#5. Reflectors
Most drivers check their lights. However, inspecting your reflectors is equally important. Reflectors help increase the truck’s visibility at night. Therefore, you’ll want to be sure that the reflectors are in good shape. Not to mention, there are also violations for having defective reflectors. So, pay attention to reflector strips that are worn, peeling, or dirty too.
#6. Seatbelts
Seatbelts save lives, therefore yours should be in good working condition. Aside from frayed edges, your inspection should also include checking for seatbelt retraction and proper locking.
#7. Lug Nuts
Last but not least, wheel lug nuts should be checked for tightness and security. Rust can cause lug nuts to widen. Also, sometimes paint jobs attempt to mask these rusty areas. Therefore, you should complete a thorough inspection of them all.
