The importance of properly maintaining truck brakes

 Posted on September 10, 2015 in Truck Accidents

Vehicles with defective braking systems pose a danger to all California road users, but the threat is particularly serious when the vehicle involved is a semi-tractor trailer. The air braking systems used on large commercial vehicles are more complex and require more maintenance than the systems found on passenger cars, and random roadside inspections often result in citations for poorly maintained or defective truck brakes. Trucking companies can avoid such issues by ensuring that their vehicles are properly maintained, and truck drivers can help to improve road safety by pointing out vehicle behavior that could be caused by braking problems.

Commercial vehicle braking systems are designed to work evenly, and semi-truck accidents can occur when brakes on some wheels are not working as well as those on others. This kind of defect can sometimes go unnoticed during visual inspections, but truck drivers may be alerted to the problem by their vehicles pulling to one side or the other after the brakes are applied.

Timing issues are another common commercial vehicle braking problem. Air braking systems are designed to work in sequence, and semi-tractor trailers can become unstable if all of the brakes operate simultaneously. Timing issues are usually caused by leaks or blockages in the air lines that can either restrict air flow or prevent air escaping from the brake chamber.

Many lawsuits stemming from truck accidents are brought against distracted, impaired or fatigued truck drivers, but this kind of litigation may also be filed against trucking companies in certain situations. A personal injury attorney could initiate a lawsuit against a logistics company when an accident is caused by a poorly maintained vehicle or a driver who has not undergone sufficient training. Trucking companies may also face civil sanctions when federal regulations governing the amount of time that truck drivers can spend behind the wheel are not observed.