The incident occurred on Friday, March 13, at kilometer 156 of the A4 motorway. Road transport inspectors from Wrocław stopped a heavy goods vehicle for inspection which, as it turned out, was in an extremely dangerous technical condition.
ITD:
The vehicle was directed to a mobile diagnostic line (MLD). A detailed inspection quickly revealed serious defects involving the steering axle. The most dangerous of them was the absence of two studs securing the right front wheel. In practice, this meant that the component responsible for keeping the wheel in place could fail or become completely unscrewed at any moment.
The inspectors explain: – At the speeds reached on a motorway, such a defect could have led to a loss of vehicle stability or even to the wheel breaking off while driving. Consequently, the danger concerned not only the truck driver but also other road users.
However, the list of irregularities did not end there. The inspectors also found that the tire tread was worn to the limit and that the vehicle's lighting was defective. In addition, an inspection of the documents revealed that the legally required transport documents were missing.
Due to the scale of the negligence, the truck was immediately withdrawn from traffic. ITD also launched explanatory proceedings against the carrier and the person responsible for managing transport at the company.
What consequences?
The case may result in serious administrative and financial consequences. The inspection also shows how important regular technical inspections and carriers' responsibility for the condition of their vehicles are to road safety.