Dangerous Trailers Taken Off The Road
A trailer found to have no working brakes was taken off the road by police yesterday (Sunday, June 26th).
The trailer, which was being towed, was spotted travelling along the A5 near Bangor by officers from North Wales Police’ Commercial Vehicle Unit due to the fact the brake lights weren’t working.
After stopping the vehicle it became apparent that the trailer was in an extremely dangerous condition. The brakes weren’t working on all four wheels of the trailer, all lights, including indicators were defective and the jockey wheel was missing.
PC Nick Power from the Commercial Vehicle Unit, which is attached to the Roads Policing Unit said: “Trailers need to be kept in excellent working order, otherwise they can be lethal.
“On this occasion all four breaks had been cut on the trailer, making it extremely dangerous. The road was busy and the weather was poor when we stopped the vehicle. Defective lights meant that the trailer was at risk of not being seen properly which in itself is dangerous to other road users.
“Anybody towing a vehicle should take responsibility for their maintenance to ensure the safety of all road users.”
The vehicle and trailer were escorted by police to a place of safety and the driver was issued with a Traffic Offence Report (TOR) meaning the possibility of penalty points and a fine. The trailer was immediately prohibited at the roadside.
Another vehicle towing a trailer was recently stopped by the unit on the A55 near Llandegai where it was found to have a dangerous load.
The trailer was carrying metal fence panels which were overhanging on either side. The driver was issued with a TOR and could face penalty points and a fine.
PC Power said: “Had this trailer had to take evasive action and swerve, the sharp edges on the fence panels could have seriously injured or even killed a pedestrian. The driver has no regard for safety when the panels were being loaded.”
The Commercial Vehicle Unit has seen a recent increase of trailers with dangerous defects, in particular agricultural trailers.
PC Power said: “The amount of vehicles with trailers that we have recently stopped due to them having dangerous defects is very worrying. We are urging trailer owners to ensure their roadworthiness and to check for any damage or defects before commencing on their journey. We will be carrying out further checks, so please heed the warning.”
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