27 unsafe trucks pulled from road, 117 charges laid in Mississauga during safety blitz

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Published June 23, 2023 at 10:31 am

This truck pulled off the road this week by police in Peel had major mechanical issues. (Photo: Ontario Ministry of Transportation via Peel Regional Police)

More than one in three trucks checked by police during a major commercial vehicle safety blitz in Mississauga on Thursday (June 22) was determined to be mechanically unsafe and pulled off the road.

Peel Regional Police Road Safety Services officers, who spearheaded the one-day blitz that also included the OPP and other area police forces, said 27 commercial vehicles out of 74 that were inspected were placed out of service due to various mechanical issues.

Additionally, 117 Highway Traffic Act charges were laid and one three-day licence suspension was issued for an alcohol-related offence as scores of police officers and inspectors with Ontario’s Transportation Ministry (MTO) checked trucks on Mississauga’s roadways and highways.

Among the vehicles pulled off the road was a tractor trailer that had numerous safety issues (see tweet at bottom).

Police say five of the 10 wheel fasteners on the front axle of the trailer were loose, as determined by MTO inspectors.

The tractor pulling that trailer “also had major defects and was placed out of service until repaired,” police said, noting the driveshaft U-joint was “extremely loose” and the airbrake chamber had broken off the axle “and was being held by the rubber air lines.”

A similar blitz conducted May 31 in Mississauga and Brampton resulted in eight unsafe trucks being pulled off the road and 37 charges laid.

The Peel police officers taking part in commercial vehicle safety blitzes are specially trained to carry out “level one” mechanical inspections that include checking under the vehicle for any safety issues.

Peel police run numerous truck inspection safety blitzes throughout the year in Mississauga and Brampton in an effort to spread the safety message and penalize offenders.

In some cases, when necessary, cops take the trucks off the road.

At last count, Peel police had a team of 12 to 14 Road Safety officers who are trained and certified to inspect trucks for safety issues.

Team members look for any issues with things such as steering, brakes and tires, the body and frame of the truck, suspensions, load security and they also do a visual inspection underneath.

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