In the fall of 1991, a series of five truck-wheel runoff accidents occurred in which a total of seven people died. The seemingly high incidence of similar fatal accidents aroused public and Congressional concern about the potential magnitude of the wheel-separation problem. In November 1991, the Safety Board initiated a special investigation to determine the magnitude of the wheel-separation problem, the types and causes of failures, and the adequacy of current truck wheel inspection and maintenance guidance and procedures. The Federal Highway Administration's Office of Motor Carriers and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration assisted the Safety Board in the review of accident and inspection records. As a result of this special investigation, the National Transportation Safety Board made recommendations to the Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration, and the American Trucking Associations. (Author/publisher)
Abstract