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Barossa police bring out the Shaker

On-road safety audit trailer brought to bear during Sturt Highway roadworthiness operation

March 21, 2013

South Australian Police has released details of its latest truck safety operation, one which utilised a shaker trailer to check roadworthiness.

Police say 106 heavy vehicles selected randomly were tested for roadworthiness during the operation on the Sturt Highway.

With assistance from vehicle inspectors from Department for Planning, Transport and Infrastructure, Barossa Local Service Area police ran the operation last Friday.

South Australia dubs its shaker trailer the Rosat, or on-road safety audit trailer, which is also known as the Shaker and police say it offers the same standard of checking suspension, brakes and steering of heavy vehicles as a well-equipped vehicle inspection station and is welcomed by many truck drivers.

Brevet Sergeant Bryan Dicker of Barossa Local Service Area police says most drivers are cooperative: “Faults can sometimes be difficult to pick up by drivers and operators, and the Rosat Shaker offers a professional, free check on key safety aspects of the vehicle.

“Of the 106 heavy vehicles tested on the Rosat Shaker, 32 failed inspection and were issued with a major defect.

“This requires them to be cleared at a vehicle inspection station.”

Defects were issued mainly due to brake failures and, in one case, a steering wheel fell apart when being examined.

“One vehicle was grounded and towed from the scene,” Dicker says.

“Ten were issued with infringement notices.”

The force says the
high level of defects is concerning but police have noticed an area of improvement.

“Load security is definitely improving,” Dicker says.

“This may be due to changes where responsibility for securing loads is shared between those who load the vehicle as well as the driver.

“We will continue to run several operations of this type a year, so heavy vehicle drivers are generally on notice that their trucks are likely to be inspected.”

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