If your route takes you through the Peach State, you’ll want to check the condition of your truck and trailer’s mud flaps before crossing the border, or everything may not be so peachy. According to the Georgia Department of Public Safety’s Transportation Rulebook 1-393.220, mud flaps, or tire covers, must adhere to the following motor carrier safety regulations:
(a) Every bus, truck, trailer, semi-trailer, and pole trailer, shall be equipped with suitable metal protectors or substantial flexible flaps on the rearmost wheels to prevent, as far as practicable, such wheels from throwing dirt, gravel, rocks, water, or other materials on the windshields of following vehicles.
(b) Such protectors or flaps shall have:
(1) a ground clearance of not more than one-half the distance from the center of the rearmost axle to the center of the protector or flap under any conditions of loading of the vehicle, and
(2) shall be at least as wide as the tire or tires they are covering.
The regulation specifies that any truck, trailer, semi-trailer designed so that the requirements are fulfilled by fenders, body construction, or other enclosures does not require any protectors or flaps. Otherwise, the flaps should be as wide as the tires they cover and extend no lower than half of the distance from the center of the rear axle to the center of the mud flap.
Any truck not meeting this requirement is in violation of the Georgia Code §40-8-75, a misdemeanor that results in a fine often over $150. Missing or damaged mud flaps can also leading to more potential fines against mud flag regulations, Compliance, Safety, and Accountability (CSA) score hits, and inspection delays.
Be Prepared
Before heading for the highway, examine your mud flaps and ensure they meet Georgia’s mud flap laws and federal safety requirements. If your mud flaps are too narrow, don’t meet the length requirements, or show visible signs of wear and tear, it may be time to replace them. Keep in mind that state rules can change without notice, so regularly consult each state’s DOT for added details.
Briargate Supply offers high-quality rubber and poly mud flaps in diverse sizes and styles, designed to meet your needs. Whether you’re ready to replace a few worn-out flaps or upgrade an entire fleet to company-branded, aerodynamic mud flaps, we make the job easy. Browse our catalog or contact us today to get started.