Mind your mud cap
Lanky Prabal Kanti lost no time digging out the challans that his company's truck drivers collect from law enforcement authorities on highways, which reach his desk for the inevitable trip settlement process daily.
The bespectacled trip settlement manager, a veteran of more than a quarter century in the trucking industry, handling finances and administration, spreads out a slew of challan receipts on a May afternoon when requested to help understand the challenges faced by truck drivers en route.
It is rare to come across truck drivers who have not collected “trophies” in the form of penalty slips for violating one or another section of the transport industry bible: the Motor Vehicle Act and the Commercial Motor Vehicle Regulations (CMVR). They go together. Why?
Drivers’ awareness of the basic tenets of the MVA and CMVR is as thin as the catgut sutures used by surgeons in hospitals after surgery. Put it differently, do they care? No. The induction of truck drivers without basic driving education is a reality.
“See this,” Kanti flashes a yellow challan receipt issued by the Karnataka government's transport department recently. The penalty one of his drivers coughed up was Rs.4,000/-
Offence: Wheel mud cap not provided for.
Non-provisioning of wheel mud cap, a violation?
Yes.
“Yes, failing to have wheel mud guards (mud flaps) on a vehicle is an offence under the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989 (CMVR) and can result in a penalty. These mud guards are designed to protect the road and other vehicles from mud and debris being thrown up by the wheels,” adds Kanti.
Rule 104 of CMVR: This rule outlines the requirements for mudguards or flaps on vehicles, including their dimensions, shape, and placement.
- Purpose of Mud Guards: They help prevent mud and debris from being thrown up by the wheels, which can damage other vehicles, create hazardous road conditions, and obstruct the vision of other drivers.
- Consequences of Non-Compliance: Failing to have mud guards or having them in a defective condition can lead to a challan or fine being issued by traffic authorities, according to Commercial Law Publisher, and potentially even the seizure of the vehicle in severe cases.
Adds Hari Kaushik, a road safety trainer of repute:
“In India, the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH) regulates truck mud flap requirements through the Central Motor Vehicles Rules, 1989. Specifically, Regulation Vehicles, Section 5.3.48, mandates that wheels of commercial vehicles with a maximum authorised mass of over 3,500 kg must be shielded to prevent rear and side spray. Mudguards must be mounted to restrict spray effectively, and must not touch, protrude, or contain sharp corners.”
Mudguards must be mounted in a way that effectively restricts spray from both the rear and sides. They should not touch, protrude, or have sharp corners, and must cover the entire horizontal projection surface above each wheel, as stated in the Imbema blog post. The Bihar Motor Vehicles Rules, 1992, also specify mudguard requirements for motor vehicles in the state, requiring mudguards or mud flaps to catch mud or water thrown up by the tires.
Australia views mud flaps with the seriousness they deserve. Motor vehicle safety and rust are interlinked. The basic question is whether rust affects motor vehicle safety. “Even small deposits of rust can be signs of much more extensive corrosion in a motor vehicle. If rust is repaired when it is minor, it will normally be a simple and economic task. However, rust allowed to spread unchecked or only partially repaired can damage a motor vehicle beyond economic repair. Severe rust can pose a significant safety hazard to the driver.
Motor vehicles are carefully designed as rigid structures for normal road use. However, in an accident, they are intended to collapse progressively and absorb energy. If the structure of the motor vehicle is weakened by rust, it could lose some of its structural strength and so become unpleasant to drive. More importantly, however, it can lose its energy-absorbing capacity, which means that passengers are at a greater risk in the event of a collision or accident.
Typically, rust develops in enclosed body sections or in areas that can accumulate road deposits, such as between body panels, inside door panels, around mudguards, or inside the sills just below the door level. However, rust can occur on any metallic component of the motor vehicle, including suspension and steering components, as well as the exhaust system.
