Failure to Maintain a Truck

Sharing the road with 18-wheelers is scary enough. However, a lack of commercial vehicle maintenance can create dangerous conditions on the road. Trucking and 18 wheeler accidents can be caused by many different equipment failures. Failing to maintain the tires, brakes, or other mechanical parts can cause a severe accident.

Failure To Maintain Tires

Tires that are poorly maintained or defective can cause serious trucking accidents. Federal laws require commercial trucks and their drivers to be equipped with tire pressure monitoring systems. The tire pressure monitoring system uses sensors to automatically detect and determine the tire air pressure. These sensors are attached to the tire, wheel, or valve system. In addition, some tire pressure monitoring systems can automatically inflate the tires to the proper pressure. Trucking companies and their drivers have a duty to maintain the tire pressure and make sure that the tires are properly inflated at all times while driving. Failure to maintain the correct tire pressure can result in significant loss and damage to you.

Truck drivers can rely on the tire pressure monitoring system when they are driving so they can correct the tire pressure and possibly avoid an accident with you while driving. The tires can lose air pressure for several reasons while the truck is in motion. One reason that commercial trucks lose tire air pressure is that the air can escape from the edge of the tire and the well. Air can also escape from improperly tightened valves, torn rubber or blocked valve cores. When tires are improperly inflated they can run hot and damage the tire casing and sidewalls. As a result, drivers are placed at risk of a serious trucking accident caused by poor handling, tire blow-out, and stranded trucks on the roadway. By properly maintaining tire pressure, commercial trucking companies and their drivers can aid you as a driver and avoid dangerous collisions.

Failure To Maintain Brakes

Brakes that are poorly maintained can cause serious trucking accidents. Federal laws require commercial trucks and their drivers to abide by strict regulations for the braking system on commercial trucks. However, a significant number of trucks operating on the highways and roadways are operating with defective brake systems. Research shows that 19% of all inspected commercial trucks have defective brakes. Maintaining the proper braking system is important as this relates to the stopping, operation, handling, and overall safety of the truck.

Commercial trucks must have a braking system which meets certain criteria. The brakes must be adequate based on the overall weight of the trucks in order to stop at a specific rate of speed. By failing to ensure that the trucks meet these criteria, the truck can become dangerous to you as a driver. If the trucking companies and their drivers fail to ensure that the brakes meet the standards, they are putting you at risk of a serious trucking accident. In addition, if the braking system was the result of a defective design, then you are also at risk. If you or your loved one has been seriously injured in a trucking accident that was caused by defective or inadequate brake maintenance, there may be a claim against the manufacturer of the brakes or the trucking company.

Failure To Maintain Trailers

Failing to maintain trailers on commercial trucks is a cause of serious trucking accidents. Federal laws require commercial trucks and their drivers to abide by strict regulations for the maintenance of trailers. Commercial trucks must operate with proper alignment of the trailer. Failure to properly align the trailer can result in misalignment of the truck. When a commercial truck is misaligned, this puts you as the driver at a serious risk of accident because the proper alignment affects the general safety, performance, and function of the truck while it is on the road.

Commercial trucks must be routinely inspected to make sure that the trailer is in proper alignment with the truck. When a trailer is misaligned, there is a direct impact on the tires, steering, and overall performance of the truck while it is in motion. An improperly aligned trailer can result in serious wear on the tires. When this happens, the tires have excessive wear and become uneven which can cause the truck driver to have reduced control of steering. When a trailer is misaligned this can cause the engine to work harder and resistance in rolling is increased. When a trailer is misaligned this can lead to higher than normal vibration level and affect the driver’s steering and operation of the truck. A poorly aligned trailer puts you as the driver at serious risk because there is a loss of control over the truck.

More Information

The Barton Law Firm encourages you to learn more about your trucking accident case. To find out more about the federal transportation rules for maintaining tire pressure, proper brakes or properly aligned trailers in commercial trucks, please visit the U.S. Department of Transportation.

Contact Us If You Need Help

We are here to help you or your loved one has suffered a severe trucking injury because of failed equipment like maintaining tires, brakes and trailers. We will protect you and your family’s rights for all your injuries. Call us for an initial consultation toll free at 866-508-6174 or email us using our contact form below.