By Patrick O’Leary
Managing Editor, FleetWatch
Just when we thought it couldn’t get any worse, it did. Over the many years of us running – with our partners – the FleetWatch Brake & Tyre Watch training projects for traffic officials, we have come across many unroadworthy trucks. These have obviously made us angry but one truck inspected at last week’s event in Bloemfontein, lifted my personal anger to another level.
It was a side-tipper that, when brought in from the road, looked – well, OK. But, as we always say to the Traffic Officials we are training, do not judge a book by its cover and when we looked below the cover of this ‘book’, what we saw was shocking. Here was a rig with a full load driving on public roads with absolutely no brakes on the trailers to talk of.
When tested on the brake roller tester, the truck tractor’s brakes passed. They were working fine but when it came to the trailer’s brakes – nothing. Not a murmur. This meant that the driver was relying on the truck tractor’s brakes to brake the entire combination. And it wasn’t as if the reason for the faults were hard to find. They were obvious – and numerous – as the accompanying pictures show and the operator was aware of them as evidenced by the air pipes being cut and tied.
It is absolutely infuriating that some transport operators blatantly disregard road safety, treating the lives of innocent road users as collateral damage in their ruthless pursuit of profit. What gives them the right to endanger the lives of innocent road users while selfishly prioritizing profits over public safety? Their greed and negligence are unforgivable.
When a truck with faulty – in this case NO brakes – barrels down the highway, is it not a deliberate act of recklessness? Such operators are not just cutting corners – they are wilfully endangering lives for they know their truck is a death trap. What excuse can they possibly offer for such gross negligence? Is saving a few bucks worth the price of shattered families, lifelong injuries, or lives lost in preventable tragedies? Every time such a vehicle takes to the road, it becomes a ticking time bomb, jeopardizing lives and livelihoods.
To these operators, I ask: Do you sleep peacefully knowing your greed leaves carnage in its wake? The blood on your hands is real, even if you choose to ignore it. Such behaviour is not only immoral; it’s criminal and deserves the full weight of the law for the cost of a life lost or a family torn apart far outweighs any short-term savings such operators achieve by cutting corners.
I am so angry – so gatvol at the fact that this operator so blatantly disregards road safety and fails to maintain his vehicles in compliance with legal and safety standards. The anger is amplified by the fact that he is not the only one. What level of arrogance do such operators possess that allows them to gamble with lives – including their drivers’ lives – as if the rules don’t apply to them? We all share the roads, and no one should have to fear for their life because of an operator’s refusal to meet even the most basic standards of safety.
The time for leniency is over. Our roads must not be death traps because of unscrupulous individuals who put profit over human life. Stricter enforcement, harsher penalties and societal outrage are non-negotiable. The law must hold these operators accountable and society must demand better. A zero-tolerance approach to this gross negligence must be instigated. Enough is enough!
Of course, this rig was served with a Discontinuation of Service notice and was taken off the road. May it never return.
Footnote: With 61 Traffic Officials trained in Bloemfontein on the 13th and 14th of November 2024, this Brake & Tyre Watch session made a significant impact! The goal of this campaign is clear: to translate legislation into actionable insights on rig safety. Ensuring roadworthiness for trucks and trailers is more than just compliance; it’s about protecting lives. When trucks are safe, drivers, cargo, and other road users benefit, creating safer journeys for everyone. Because one life saved means everything.
