Most Indiana drivers are aware of the sheer size and weight of the semi-trucks they share the road with. The size and momentum of these vehicles means that truckers rely on their brakes to keep other drivers safe when a hazard appears. When these braking systems fail, however, other drivers often pay the price in catastrophic accidents. Could you be sharing the road with a large commercial vehicle that has faulty brakes?
What causes brake failure?
Many different people and companies work together to support a carrier, and each of them could be responsible for brake failure. Manufacturers may provide faulty brakes, carriers may not uphold their legal responsibility to maintain vehicles and truck drivers that overuse brakes or willingly drive with a brake issue put other drivers in danger.
How common are faulty brakes?
Despite legal standards requiring large commercial vehicles to have regular maintenance and repair, brake issues are distressingly common on roadways in the United States. In 2019, inspections from the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance (CVSA) found that nearly one in seven trucks inspected had brake-related safety violations that should have put them out of service.
How often does brake failure create accidents?
The importance of a functioning braking system means that brake failure—whether it leaves drivers completely unable to stop or with limited braking ability—creates many accidents every year. The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration (FMCSA) reports that brake problems factor into nearly 30% of semi-truck crashes.
If you or a loved one was harmed in a crash because of a semi-truck’s brake failure, you can hold manufacturers, carriers and drivers legally responsible for the part they played in the crash.