If you’ve ever been on the highway, you’ve likely seen a semi-truck pulled over on the side of the road. But have you ever wondered why they get pulled over so often?
The truth is, there are a variety of reasons why semi-trucks get pulled over, ranging from safety violations to equipment malfunctions.
In this post, we’ll take a closer look at some of the most common reasons why semi-trucks get pulled over and provide you with some tips on how to avoid getting pulled over yourself.
So, whether you’re a professional truck driver or just curious about the inner workings of the trucking industry, this post is for you.
Let’s dive in!
Why Do Semi-trucks Get Pulled Over?
Below are some of the common reasons why Semi-trucks get pulled over.
1. Driving on a No-truck Designated Road
In several places, some roads are not meant for semi-truck drivers to use because of the quality of the road, safety issues as well as maintenance.
Most roads that are of lesser quality in counties and boroughs put signs at the beginning that trucks are not allowed to drive on them to maintain quality and durability.
Any semi truck found driving on such type of roads will immediately be pulled over, redirected to the proper one meant for it and may even be fined a huge amount of money for violating the law.
Some Semi truck drivers have the habit of driving their trucks on a road not meant for them to reach their destination faster.
It is not a new fact that semi trucks have the capacity of transporting huge amounts of goods at a time which puts lots of pressure on the road while in transit.
This road can get damaged if it is not a designated road that was designed to accommodate such tons of load.
2. To Check the Log Book
Log books are essential to semi truck drivers because they explain in detail what is being transported, the specific company of warehouse it was loaded from and the destination it was being transported to.
The police pulled over semi trucks to check the log book to know if the truck is heading in the right direction, what is carrying and the total number of goods contained.
If the logbook information is accurate with the goods contained in the truck and it is heading to the right destination, the police will allow the driver to continue with the journey.
3. To Check the Driver’s Licenses
The cops have a right to pull a semi-truck and request to see the driver’s license.
Due to this reason, police pulled over truck drivers when they feel the need to carry out a proper inspection on the driver to make sure that he or she has the necessary license for driving trucks for the safety of other road users.
4. To Carry Out a Safety Inspection
A safety inspection is a requirement that the police are trying to ensure daily, the police can pull over semi trucks in other to carry out safety inspections necessary to safeguard the lives and properties of the public.
If a semi-truck failed to meet the necessary safety requirements for driving on the road, the police will immediately impound it so that it will not jeopardise public safety.
5. Overspeeding
Driving higher than the maximum speed limit for cars is very dangerous to both the driver and other road users because it may lead to accidents.
Just like normal cars on the road, driving a semi-truck at a higher speed is very dangerous because it is more difficult to control when a problem occurs than ordinary normal cars.
If a semi-truck is found exceeding the speed limit, the police will pull them over and fine the driver for being reckless as well as give him proper advice on why it is not good to be over-speeding.
6. For Notification Purposes
The cops pulled over semi trucks to notify them about an issue on the road ahead such as blockades, accidents, fire outbreaks, traffic gridlock, and heavy fog among other things that will help the driver.
This is to ensure that the driver has all the information needed to make an informed decision on which particular action he will take and the implications of taking them.
When the police pull over the semi-truck driver to inform him of a problem, it helps both the police and the driver to avoid making a problem worse and creates a cordial relationship between the two which will benefit society in the long run.
7. For Safety Concerns
The police have every right to pull over a semi-truck when it appears to have obvious equipment safety issues.
Having an obvious equipment problem in a semi-truck is a recipe for disaster which the police are trying to avoid.
A truck driver that has one or more flat tires, a particular part hanging, emission of thick black smoke from the exhaust system, having break problem or headlights failure will be a genuine reason for getting pulled over because it has a direct impact on both the driver, pedestrians, animals and other road users.
Conclusion
The most common reasons why semi trucks get pulled over is because of the following reasons which include:
- Driving on a no-truck designated road
- To confirm log book
- To check the driver’s licenses
- To carry out a safety inspection
- For overspeeding
- For notification purposes
- Safety concerns