Brakes on big rigs and tractor-trailers are very different than the brake systems on passenger cars. Trucks use air brakes to stop their larger vehicles and to stay safe on the roads.
While the truck air brakes are meant to stop much larger vehicles and are meant to keep trucks safe, the reality is that brake problems are common causes of commercial truck accidents in Homestead, Miami, and other Florida communities.
Trucks put a lot of pressure on brakes, and this can cause them to overheat. In addition, if trucks are overloaded with cargo that exceeds safely limits, this can put additional pressure on brakes, potentially causing them to fail. Some trucks have poorly maintained or poorly designed brakes, which can cause these air brakes to fail entirely or fail to perform correctly.
The Results of Brake Issues Can be Deadly
Having a truck behind or in front of you experience brake failure is terrifying. Often, brakes fail when a truck is traveling downhill, and once the brake failure occurs the truck driver may not be able to come to a full stop. This means that the truck can easily crush vehicles in its path and cause severe injury to the passengers of those vehicles.
Fatalities, rollover accidents, and multiple vehicle accidents in Hollywood and other entities are not uncommon in these types of situations. The truck is simply out of control and may crash into a variety of objects before coming to a complete stop. In some cases, a truck driver is able to steer the car out of traffic in order to prevent injuries to others. But in some cases this is simply not possible and others get injured.
Braking Rules
Because air brakes are so important and because there’s so much pressure placed on them, federal laws require truck brakes to be carefully monitored. The company responsible for the truck is responsible for ensuring that truck brakes are kept in good condition and are properly maintained. The truck driver is also expected to check and monitor the brakes for any potential problems. If there are problems, he or she is expected to report them or to fix the issue. In addition, manufacturers of air brakes are expected to produce a safe and reliable product.
If you have been injured because a truck’s brakes failed, it can be difficult to tell what has gone wrong. Did a truck driver fail to check their brakes? Did the company cut corners when it came to paying for maintenance on their fleets? Did a manufacturer design or manufacture faulty brakes?
Often, only a thorough investigation will yield these answers. If you have been injured, contact a personal injury lawyer who has experience with commercial truck accident cases. An experienced lawyer will usually have resources — such as accident reconstruction experts and investigators — to determine exactly what caused your accident and who the liable parties are. You may then be able to choose to pursue those liable parties in court or to get compensation for your pain and suffering, medical bills, lost wages, and other expenses.
If you’re looking for a personal injury lawyer in South Florida, you can always contact Flaxman Law Group for a free, no obligation case analysis. Your case analysis is your chance to find out whether you have a claim and how much that claim may be worth.