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Truck defected after wheels fall off on M7

Company with history of defects cops another one after the wheels of its trucks fell off on a NSW motorway

October 17, 2013

A warning has gone out to trucking firms in New South Wales on the importance of vehicle maintenance after a truck was defected when its wheels fell off on the M7 motorway.

The truck lost two of its wheels while travelling on the motorway at Horsley Park about 5.30pm on October 15.

NSW Police officers saw the wheels fly off the second axle of the southbound truck and narrowly miss oncoming traffic.

Officers pulled over the 35-year-old driver and issued a defect, preventing the truck from being driven. Officers could only locate one of the wheels.

The Roads and Maritime Services (RMS) and NSW Police have since began an audit of the company, which has a history of defects.

RMS Customer and Compliance Director Peter Wells says NSW will not tolerate unroadworthy and unsafe vehicles using the State’s roads.

“Truck operators and other parties in the supply chain need to take responsibility for the safety and road worthiness of these heavy vehicles when using our roads,” he says.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Stuart Smith says the truck driver is lucky to be alive and that it was fortunate police were on hand to deal with the situation.

“Given the scale of what has occurred, operators need to understand the maintenance of their fleets is crucial for all road users,” Smith says.

“Your actions can have serious implications for others so it is vital that the outmost care is taken when travelling on our roads.”

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