Truck Drivers are Responsible to Maintain Brakes

It is estimated that 30% of trucking accidents are caused, at least in part, by brake failure.

But what does brake failure even mean?  Do they go out completely?  Are the trucks out of compressed air, so they just don’t work?  Are they old and worn?

Let’s take a look at what the Car Crash Captain has to say about truck accidents that stem from brake failure, and how the issue starts in the first place.

Most Brake Failure Accidents are from Brake Fade

As brakes work hard, they aren’t quite as effective as they were when fresh.  Not because they’re wearing down, although that is a factor, it’s due to what is known as brake fade.

Brake’s work well up to really high temperatures; usually in excess of 500 degrees.  But overused brakes can quickly soar past that temperature and start pushing 1,000 degrees.  These red-hot brakes swell, and can mean the brake shoes have to move farther to create the friction necessary to slow the truck down.  The driver has to push harder and harder to get the necessary pressure just to slow a truck.

This can occur due to improper driving, like braking too hard, not adjusting the engine for downhill, or driving too aggressively.

It can also occur with worn out pads, contaminated brake fluid, overloaded vehicles, or poorly adjusted brakes.

Often it’s a combination of poor driving skills and poor vehicle maintenance.

How Drivers Should Avoid Brake Fade

An experienced driver will understand they can’t rely on brakes alone to slow the truck.  And they know that brake failure will happen (it’s not a matter of if, it’s a when) as they overuse the brakes.

Instead, the driver must rely on using the engine to slow the rig.  Downshifting and noisy engine brakes are efficient at dumping speed.  Giving the brakes a rest and letting them cool, and regular maintenance can all prevent a deadly trucking accident.

In a Wreck?  You Need a Truck Accident Lawyer

There will always be times when accidents do happen.  And if you’re in the wrong place, you could end up the victim.

But insurance will take care of it, right?

Not usually.  With as complicated as trucking accidents are, will you know where to start when filing a claim?

• Do you know if it was inexperience and riding the brakes that led to failure?
• Do you know if it was a lack of maintenance?
• Do you know if it was a faulty part that was installed in the first place?

With all of the variables, you need a truck accident lawyer to help navigate the legal mayhem that ensues.

Herbert Law Group is here to Help

If you have been injured in a truck accident, your main focus should be to heal.  You need to get better from your wounds: physical or mental.

The stress of an insurance claim or a pending lawsuit is going to deter your healing.

Instead, Herbert Law Group will take that burden from you.  Our experienced attorneys know what to look for, who to talk to, and what to claim when it comes to your wreck.

You focus on healing; we’ll deal with the courts and insurance companies.

Call us at 214-414-3808, or fill out the contact form on our site, and let’s get to know each other.  The initial consultation is free; we just need to know if we’re a good fit.