As an attorney handling trucking accident cases in Georgia, I’ve seen a wide variety of violations of trucking safety rules. It’s a nationwide problem. In 60,000 random inspections of tractor trailers in Arizona, 31% yielded safety violations serious enough to take the truck out of service. Fully 86% turned up at least one safety violation. That’s according to a report by Joe Ducey at KNVX-TV in Phoenix. The breakdown of violations in the Arizona report is as follows:
Types of Out-Of-Service Violations in Arizona in 2006:
False Report of Driver Record of Duty Status – 2,818
Inspection/Repair & Maintenance – 2,674
Driver Fail to Retain Previous 7 Days Logs – 1,500
No Driver’s Record of Duty Status – 1,396
15 Hour Rule Violation – 1,357
Brake Out of Adjustment – 1,194
Inoperative/Defective Brakes – 980
10 Hour Rule Violation – 921
No or Improper Load Securement – 717
Flat Tire or Fabric Exposed – 708
Stop Lamp Violations – 706
No/Improper Breakaway/Emergency Braking – 684
Tire Flat/Audible Air Leak – 590
Brakes-General – 582
Failing to Secure Vehicle Equipment – 546
Companies with Most Out-Of-Service Violations in 2006:
Swift Transportation Company Inc – 148 (out of 611 total violations)
Knight Transportation Inc – 51 (of out 137 total violations)
San Luis International Freight Services LLC – 50 (out of 259 total violations)