§392.7 lists the parts and accessories the driver must verify before driving — service brakes (including trailer brake connections), parking brake, steering mechanism, lighting devices and reflectors, tires, horn, windshield wipers, rear-vision mirrors, and coupling devices. If a defective component is found at roadside, §392.7 is often cited alongside the §393 defect itself.
Severity weight
Severity weight 1 in the Vehicle Maintenance BASIC. The standalone weight is low, but §392.7 is rarely the only finding — it pairs with whatever defect was discovered (§393.47 brakes, §393.75 tires, §393.9 lamps). The compounded weight is what shifts the BASIC.
How to prevent it
- Document daily pre-trip inspections on a checklist that hits every §392.7 item.
- Pair pre-trip with the post-trip DVIR under §396.11(a)(1) — the same equipment, the same items, twice in a 24-hour cycle.
- Train drivers that "I looked at it" isn't a pre-trip; the regulation requires they "satisfy themselves" each item is in working order.
- Recurring §392.7 citations against the same driver are a §391.25 annual-review issue. Document the coaching.
How Roadworthy HQ helps
DVIRs filed in Roadworthy HQ become the pre-trip / post-trip record for §396.11. When a §392.7 citation links to a §393 defect, both findings hit the vehicle record so the maintenance team can close the loop, and the audit binder retains the chain.