The Critical Role of Brake Failure in Truck Accidents
Truck accidents can be devastating events, often resulting in catastrophic injuries or death. When a fully loaded 80,000-pound truck collides with a smaller passenger vehicle, the occupants of the car or SUV usually suffer the most severe consequences. Determining the cause of truck crashes is therefore critically important.
How Do Truck Brakes Work?
Trucks have air brake systems that work differently than the hydraulic brakes on most cars and light trucks. Air brakes use compressed air to apply the friction required to slow and stop the vehicle. Here’s a quick overview:
- An engine-driven air compressor builds up pressurized air that is stored in tanks.
- When the brake pedal is pressed, valves open to allow compressed air into the brake chambers.
- The compressed air pushes pistons that activate the drum or disc brakes.
- Trucks also have emergency and parking brake systems.
Proper brake maintenance and operation is essential to prevent brake failure and crashes.
Common Causes of Brake Failure in Large Trucks
While brake problems can happen in any vehicle, some issues occur more frequently in heavy trucks:
Consequences of Brake Failure
When brake failure occurs in a fully loaded tractor-trailer weighing up to 80,000 pounds, the results are often devastating:
- Rear-end collisions – Trucks with failed brakes may strike slower moving or stopped traffic ahead, crushing the smaller vehicles.
- Runaway trucks – Trucks may lose control on steep downhill grades if the brakes overheat or fail. Runaway trucks can attain extremely high speeds and cause catastrophic crashes at the bottom of the grade.
- Jackknife accidents – Brake failure on a tractor-trailer can lead to a deadly jackknife crash, especially if the trailer brakes fail. The instability caused by the brake problem results in the tractor pivoting while the trailer continues forward.
- Sideswipe & head-on crashes – Without brakes, the driver may lose control and swerve into oncoming lanes, sideswiping or head-on striking other vehicles.
- Roll-overs – Trucks may flip over if abrupt steering inputs are made in response to unexpected brake failure at highway speeds.
The enormous weight of trucks coupled with rapid speeds contributes to the severity of injuries sustained by occupants of passenger vehicles involved in brake failure truck crashes. It’s not uncommon to see head injuries, spinal cord injuries, amputations, organ damage, and serious burn injuries. Wrongful death is also frequently seen in these preventable accidents.
Investigating Brake Failure After a Truck Accident
If you or a loved one has been injured in a truck crash, an experienced personal injury attorney will work to determine the cause of the accident. Identifying brake defects or maintenance issues requires a thorough investigation that may include:
- Inspection of the condition of the truck and its brakes.
- Review of the truck and drivers’ maintenance records.
- Analysis of the truck’s black box or electronic control module data.
- Hiring expert witnesses to assess brake evidence and testify to their opinions.
- Questioning the trucking company about training and safety programs.
Gathering this evidence takes time and legal resources. An attorney can build a strong case showing how brake defects or failures resulted in the truck crash. Financial compensation is warranted when an accident is caused by the negligence of the truck driver and trucking company.
Get Legal Help from a California Truck Accident Law Firm
The experienced attorneys at Sasooness Law Group understand the complexities of investigating brake failure in truck crashes. We have the resources and tenacity to take on large trucking companies and their insurance carriers. Our thorough personal injury case preparation consistently delivers results for injury victims in and around California. We provide compassionate client service and offer free consultations. Visit one of our offices at:
- 21777 Ventura Boulevard Suite 263, Woodland Hills, CA 91364
- 15000 7th Street Suite 201, Victorville, CA 92395
- 8889 West Olympic Boulevard, 3rd Floor, Beverly Hills, CA 90211 Or call us today for a free consultation at (888) 922-8399.