Large commercial trucks can weigh up to 40 times more than a passenger vehicle, which easily makes trucks the most dangerous vehicle with which we share the road. One of the most common causes of trucking accidents is a mechanical or engine error that perhaps could have been caught and fixed had the truck driver been properly maintaining the mechanics of his or her truck. There are a number of federal regulations put in place to reduce the number of seriousness of collisions, yet some truck drivers continue to drive semi-trucks without performing these routine checks. In this blog, our Charleston truck accident attorney explains failure to maintain.
Failure to Maintain Tires
Tire blowouts are commonly caused by a deterioration of tire quality – when one fails to routinely check on tire pressure and treading, tires can blow out while on the road. While tire blowouts are manageable on a normal passenger vehicle, they can cause significant damage when on a semi-truck. There are several federal laws that mandate truck drivers to install a tire pressure monitor system that accurately measures the pressure, or lack thereof, in the truck’s tires.
Failure to Maintain Brakes
According to a report by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, nearly 20% of semi-trucks going through inspection were found to have a brake defect or error. Brakes are perhaps the most important element of truck safety – should the brakes malfunction while on the highway, other drivers are put at risk of being involved in a collision.
Failure to Maintain Trailers
Truck drivers are obligated, by law, to ensure that their tractor trailers safely secured enough to eliminate the risk of it detaching at any point during the driver’s commute. When a tractor trailer is not safely or properly secured, the misalignment can add pressure on the tires, which can wear on the tires. A truck driver may also experience difficulty in steering when the trailer is misaligned.
Pierce, Sloan, Kennedy & Early LLC is a boutique law firm with big firm experience. Call (843) 968-0886 to schedule a consultation with a dedicated and skilled Charleston truck accident lawyer.