NTI/NTARC 2024 update- sharpens Wheel- end fire warning

The latest NTI /  NTARC 2024 Major Incident Investigation Report (see link below) suggests that risk has not eased. In 2023, non - impact fire incidents rose to 10.8 per 10,000 heavy vehicle-powered units, up from 5.45 per 10,000 in 2021. The report identifies wheel- end fires as the most common cause of non - impact fires in 2023, noting that they were almost twice as common in trailer wheel ends as in powered units, and says 61.3% of wheel- end fires were initiated at the tyre / wheel. The rate of wheel- end fire losses was 3 per 10,000 powered units, double the next most common wheel - end fire cause, bearing failure at 1.4 per 10,000. 

Taken together, the trend suggests wheel-end incidents are moving from a known maintenance issue to a sharper operational and asset - protection risk for fleets.

The updated findings reinforce the need for disciplined tyre pressure and temperature monitoring, brake and bearing inspections, and stronger preventive maintenance across trailers as well as prime movers. That matters beyond the repair bill: earlier LSM reporting noted these fires can destroy equipment, loads, disrupt freight movements, disrupt traffic flow and create serious safety risks for drivers and the public-especially Dangerous Goods Transport vehicles.

For operators battling tighter margins and higher asset values, that makes early detection and routine wheel-end inspection more urgent than ever. With NTARC2.0 now combining NTI, the National Road Safety Partnership Program and Monash University, the sector has a stronger evidence base to act on- but the message remains simple: the safest wheel -end fire is the one prevented before smoke appears. 

For more information, please see the below links or contact us.

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