1. You cannot cause or create a violation to fix another. So you can’t remove a front turn signal bulb ( not OOS) to fix a rear turn signal bulb ( OOS).
2. You do not have to be a certified mechanic to fix anything except making brake adjustments. And then, you can get trained by a mechanic to do that part.
3. You do not have to show or prove that you fixed something unless the officer is going to wait and watch. If the officer leaves and you have fixed the violation…just go.
4. If the violation is not an OOS , than it doesn’t have to be fixed immediately. You could get it fixed but you don’t have to.
5. Combination brake OOS. Based on the 20% rule, if you have a truck and a trailer brake out of adjustment / not working etc. You cant fix just ONE brake ( which takes you below the 20% thresh hold) and than drive off with one illegal brake. Any condition/ violation that causes or contributes to an OOS violation much be fixed before you leave.
6. Daytime or lack of rain is not a repair. If you have non-working lights or wipers , the rising of the sun or the skies drying up doesn’t change a thing. OOS means OOS until the violations are fixed.
7. OOS means you are shut down where you are placed OOS. You can ask the officer if he/she can actually put you OOS down the road a couple of miles at a shopping center etc. Think ahead of the repair truck that comes out and how safe is it to try to perform a fix along the road. You aren’t OOS until the officer marks and declares you to be OOS. I have allowed trucks to move to a better location for this exact reason.
8. If possible always take several digital pics of the violation in case you disagree and want to file a DataQ challenge or go to court over a citation.
9. Thanking for the officer for finding something you didn’t ( or did) know about can go a LONG way to getting through an inspection. I didn’t always write a citation for an OOS , especially if it was a really easy fix ( loose pigtail).
