Page 53 - Webinar workbook

Chapter 4

Maintenance Requirements

According to the United States Department of Transportation, there are more than 500,000

truck accidents a year, which account for 2.4 percent of all vehicle accidents that occur in the
country per year. More than 75 percent of truck-related accidents that occur each year are due
to the driver of a passenger car and only about 16 percent are found to be the fault of the truck
driver.

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA), the federal agency within the U.S.
Department of Transportation that oversees commercial truck operations in the United States,
has created its own commercial truck maintenance checklist for pre-trip inspection of
commercial motor vehicles. It suggests what the truck driver should inspect before taking the

vehicle on the road. The agency’s commercial truck maintenance checklist pre-trip check
includes:

• The tires. According to the agency, the tires account for about one-third of the total
maintenance costs of the vehicle. It advises inspection of tire air pressure and tread.
• The fluids. Drivers are encouraged to look for fluid leakage on pavement under the

truck, check the coolant, antifreeze, oil and fuel for leaks and whether there is the
proper amount of fluid under the hood. The driver is also urged to turn on the ignition
and examine the oil pressure, temperature and air pressure gauges to assure they are
working properly.
• Electrical system and wiring. All lights including headlights, warning lights, flashers,
clearance lights, turn signals, brake lights and other electrical components should be

reviewed as well as wires to assure that everything is working properly and that the
wires are not worn or loose.
• Brakes. The parking and standard brakes should be checked to assure that there is a
proper amount of lining remaining, that there are no leaks in the air pressure system,

that the low pressure warning alarm works properly, that parking brakes turn on
automatically and to assure the proper rate of air pressure build-up.

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