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Loose wheel wrecks a car but operator escapes with a formal warning
Page 32
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A COMPANY THAT destroyed a car when a wheel came off one of its vehicles has escaped with a warning. North-Eastern Traffic CommissionerTomMacartney said that such an incident was a terrible warning call for any operator, adding that 20 people had been killed in a year by wheels coming off LGVs.
Newcastle upon Tyne-based M Moffitt & Son, which holds an international licence for two vehicles and two trailers. appeared before the TC at a Leeds public inquiry.
TheTC said it was only luck that nobody was injured when a wheel came off the company's drawbar trailer and collided with a car.
Vehicle examiner Douglas Warrener said that over the past five years. two immediate and three delayed prohibitions had been issued to the company's vehicles and trailers. Maintenance was contracted out. The initial pass rate at annual test was 0% for vehicles and 50% for trailers; the main item of failure was brake performance. The trailer that lost a wheel had been given an Smarked delayed prohibition in August. The brake linings were contaminated with oil and there was an insecure brake valve which had been noted at the previous safety inspection.
Appearing for the company. Roger Hird said the maintenance contractor had done a temporary job on the brake valve with a cable tie.
Referring to the wheel-loss incident, MD Laurence Moffitt said the driver had told him he had no idea the wheels were coming loose. The car concerned was a write-off.
Asked how the wheel had come off, Moffitt said lost-wheel syndrome was a well-known problem; Warrener said Vosa did not recognise any such syndrome.
The TC issued a warning after receiving a series of undertakings about the company's maintenance arrangements. He warned that he would not be so lenient if there were similar problems in the future.