Rear impact guards have been added to the checklist of annual truck inspections according to the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration.
FMCSA announced the new rule following recommendations from government agencies and a truck safety advocate whose two children were killed in a truck accident eight years ago.
Rear impact guard inspections will begin Dec. 9. Trucks that fail to pass will not be placed out of service (OOS) but each violation could result in a max fine of $15,876 for carriers and $3,969 for drivers.
“There has certainly been quite a bit of discussion whether certain violations should rise to the level of OOS," said Dan Carter, Great Dane director of product safety and compliance. "For now, the main consequence would be that the issue would have to be corrected prior to receiving the annual inspection decal."
Great Dane is a member of the Truck Trailer Manufacturers Association (TTMA), which helped FMCSA to determine when a rear impact guard may no longer be roadworthy.
"TTMA is pleased the rear impact guard (RIG) has been added to the annual inspection requirements for trailers," said TTMA President Jeff Sims. "TTMA suggested that RIG components, welds and fasteners be inspected for damage, missing parts, improper repairs and excess corrosion that indicates any loss of original material."
