Brake failure is a common – and terrifying – cause of trucking accidents in Broward County, Hollywood, and across southern Florida. In fact, according to the Department of Transportation (DOT), 29.4% of commercial truck accidents involve some sort of brake issue.
There many reasons why brake failure may happen with truck accidents:
Advanced Automatic Braking, Automatic Emergency Braking, Autonomous Braking: these devices have many names, but no matter what you call them they are designed to save lives. These brakes work by engaging when a driver does not or cannot. If a driver cannot brake for some reason or does not notice a threat in time, these brakes are meant to engage to help them a truck accident.
Truck accident experts in Hollywood and South Florida have a great deal to say about these brakes. Some insist that the latest versions of automatic brakes – now being developed by almost every commercial truck maker – make a big impact in preventing tanker accidents, big rig collisions, and other crashes involving commercial vehicles. Others insist that more work needs to be done to prevent trucking crashes.
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.
Brake failure in trucks leads to many collisions in Miami and other cities. The frustrating thing is that in many cases these accidents are preventable. Often, brake failure can be prevented with:
Manufacturers have a responsibility to create safe brakes for trucks and cars. This means designing safe brakes and monitoring the manufacturing process to ensure that the final product is safe. Manufacturers are expected to test their products to make sure that they are safe and to recall any products that may be unsafe due to flaws. When brake makers fail to take reasonable precautions to ensure their products are safe, they can be held partly liable if their product leads to mechanical failure or to a crash.
According to research, many truck accidents are caused by driver error. However, a significant number of trucking accidents in Hollywood and across South Florida are also caused by mechanical failures and mechanical problems. These problems can include:
•Oil leaks and air leaks
•Brake defects
•Tire defects and tire blowouts
•Suspension defects
•Structural integrity problems
•Failed wheel bearings
•Engine problems
•Cabin electrical wiring problems
•Trailer refrigeration equipment failure
In fact, any system in the truck can fail and this can easily lead to an accident. Certain truck systems – such as the brakes and tires – are especially vulnerable to failure since the size and weight of trucks places extra pressure on these systems.
There are many reasons why mechanical failures happen on trucks. In some cases, they occur due to manufacture defects. A truck component or truck systems may simply be defective in design or manufacture, leading it to fail on the road. In many cases, however, negligence in maintaining the vehicle leads to mechanical problems and structural issues that lead to an accident. Both the motor carrier and truck drivers are expected to maintain trucks, but sometimes fail to do so due to time constraints or concerns about costs.
In some cases, mechanical failure is caused by secondary causes that lead to the problem. For example, tires may be stored for too long in a hot warehouse, causing the rubber to become compromised and fail. A very common cause of mechanical failure is overburdening the truck with excess weight above the allowed limits. When a truck is burdened with too much weight, this can place extra pressure on the tires and brakes and can cause them to overheat and fail.
If you have been in a truck accident or traffic accident in Hollywood, how can you know what has caused your accident? In many cases, it is difficult to know without a thorough investigation. If you speak with a personal injury attorney in Hollywood or your community, your attorney can launch an investigation in order to determine exactly what happened. This may help uncover multiple liable parties in your case. For example, you may have a product liability case if it is found that a truck system was defective in some way. If the truck company or motor carrier was negligent in properly maintaining the vehicle, you may be able to pursue the motor carrier for their negligence. There may be multiple causes, including mechanical failure, behind the truck accidents, and exploring all options is important if you wish to pursue justice in your case.
According to the Department of Transportation (DOT), 29.4% of all accidents involving big trucks involve some form of brake issues, such as brake failure. In cases where brake failure causes a Biscayne Park truck accident, there may be many liable parties:
1) The driver. Truck drivers are required by federal regulations to perform a pre-trip inspection each day and to keep a record of these inspections. Drivers are mandated to check brake shoes and to check for air leaks and loose brake components. If drivers fail to complete these inspections, fill out the reports, or report known problems, they may be held liable for any injuries that result from a truck accident caused by brake failure.
2) The company responsible for loading the cargo. The company responsible for loading the cargo may incorrectly load or secure the cargo or may overload the truck, causing excessive pressure on the brake system, and, potentially, brake failure. In these cases, the company may be held liable if an accident and injuries result.
3) The company that owns the truck or the company that is responsible for brake maintenance. In cases where a different company than the owner-operator is responsible for the maintenance of brake systems, that company may be held liable if a Biscayne Park car accident or truck accident occurs because the brakes were not correctly maintained.
4) The brake manufacturer. A brake manufacturer producing brakes for a commercial truck is required by federal regulations to ensure that the brakes allow the truck to stop at a specific rate, to ensure that the brakes develop a specific braking force, and to ensure that brakes meet the requirements for automatic brake adjustment systems. In cases where brakes do not meet the regulations, the brake manufacturer may be held liable for a Biscayne Park traffic accident caused by the defective brakes. These legal claims are usually Biscayne Park products liability claims and usually occur because there was some defect with the brake’s design or manufacturing process.
5) The truck carrier. Some truck carriers may not order adequate maintenance on their trucks or may make poor decisions, such as unhooking the front brakes to save money on brake maintenance. Truck companies must, by federal regulations, keep maintenance records showing that brakes and other truck systems are correctly maintained. When truck carriers are negligent in keeping these records or ensuring that trucks are correctly maintained, they may be held liable if the truck’s poor condition causes an accident and injuries.
After a Biscayne Park truck accident, determining liability can be challenging. It is common for one potential liable party to blame another. A truck driver may blame the truck carrier for unsafe policies while the truck carrier may blame the brake manufacturer for defective brakes. In turn, the manufacturer may blame incorrect maintenance for the tire failure. The best way to determine all liable parties is to work with a Biscayne Park personal injury attorney who has experience in truck cases. A good attorney can investigate the cause of an accident and can find all liable parties, increasing the chances of fair compensation.
When tire failure occurs on a commercial truck, the truck can drift into traffic or the driver may lose control of the vehicle. It is a common cause of Hollywood truck accidents. In addition, Hollywood tire failure can cause pieces of tire to be left on the road, causing secondary Hollywood car accidents. Commercial trucks are especially susceptible to tire failure for a number of reasons:
1) Tires can get worn or old. Commercial trucks drive over much longer distances than the average passenger car, and tires can become worn with time. In some cases, truck tires also stay in storage for some time until they are needed, and this can cause the rubber to deteriorate, increasing the risk of tire failure. Truck drivers are responsible for ensuring that their truck tires are in good condition.
2) Hollywood trucks can drive in very hot conditions. High temperatures can cause rubber in tires to deteriorate or even start to melt, increasing the risk of a Hollywood tire blow out. While there is nothing that can be done about the weather, drivers of commercial trucks are expected to check the condition of tires and commercial truck carriers are expected to maintain tires correctly, since worn tires and old tires are more likely to fail in high heat.
3) Commercial truck tires are susceptible to tire defects. In some cases, design flaws or manufacturing problems cause defective tires that are susceptible to safety issues. In these cases, if the defective tires cause an accident and injuries, the tire manufacturers may be held liable in a Hollywood defective products legal claim.
4) The heavy weight of trucks can contribute to tire failure. The heavy weight of commercial trucks can place extra pressure on tires. When trucking companies ignore the cargo limits and place extra weight on tires, tire blow outs and Hollywood truck accidents are common.
5) Incorrect tire inflation can cause blow-outs. Truck drivers are responsible for ensuring that a truck’s tires are correctly inflated. When tires are under-inflated they can cause more friction with the road and generate heat that can cause the tire to split. When tires are over-inflated, they may not correctly grip the road surface, making it harder for the truck driver to control the truck.
6) Commercial trucks are difficult to control on hills, leading to potential problems with brake pads. Inexperienced drivers may use brakes too much on hills, overusing brake pads and putting extra pressure on tires. This can cause tire blow outs and accidents.
Brake problems cause many Miami truck accidents and Miami car accidents each year. When brakes fail to brake correctly, a driver can roll through an intersection, lose control of the vehicle, or be unable to stop in time in order to avoid an accident. Brake problems can be caused by a number of factors. For example, some Miami traffic accidents are caused when a commercial truck is so overloaded that the extra pressure of the weight causes the brakes to work incorrectly. A commercial truck`s brakes may also fail due to incorrect maintenance or due to wear and tear caused by poor driving.
In some cases, however, brake problems can also be caused because a truck part manufacturer has designed or manufactured a brake that is defective. This month, for example, Volvo Trucks North America has announced the recall of some of its VNL and VNM vehicle brakes, saying that the brakes have a relay valve defect that could lead to accidents. The NHTSA has announced that some 2011 and 2012 brakes with the Bendix ATR-6 traction relay valves could leak internally in some cold temperatures. This can cause air pressure to affect some components of the brake, leading to the continuous application of the brake. In turn, this can potentially cause overheating, fires, or even wheel lockup. About 22,383 trucks may be affected by the recall, according to the NHTSA.
Brake defects are nothing new, but each recall is a cause for concern. Volvo has stated that they will offer temporary repairs for the brakes and seek out a permanent repair. They have also stated that they will contact customers about the recall. However, that may mean that there are thousands of trucks on the road with potentially dangerous brakes. As well, even once customers are notified, truck carriers still must remove affected trucks from the road and submit them to repairs in a timely manner.
After a Miami truck accident involving a brake defect, it often takes a qualified Miami personal injury attorney to uncover liable parties. When a brake fails, there may be multiple liable parties. The manufacturer of the brakes may have designed a brake with defects or a flaw in the manufacturing process may have created a defective brake. Even in cases where a brake has not been recalled, it may still be affected by dangerous defects that have simply not been uncovered or publicized yet. In addition to the manufacturer, the truck carrier may be held liable for not correctly maintaining the brakes. Even the driver may be held liable if a problem with the brakes is not reported. If the driver operates the truck in a way that harms the brakes, the driver may also be held liable.
Brake problems are a common cause of Homestead truck accidents. In fact, according to FACT data from 2001, brake problems are found in many commercial trucks. One 2001 study of 407 trucks found that 32.7% of large trucks tested had pre-crash brake violations. Another study by the Department of Transportation (DOT) concluded that 29.4% of all large truck accidents involved brake issues, such as brake failure.
One of the biggest problems with Homestead traffic accidents caused by brake problems involving a commercial truck is that it can be hard for victims to get adequate compensation. The truck carrier, driver, brake manufacturer, and other possible liable parties may all blame each other for the brake issues, making it hard for the injury victim to get speedy and fair resolution for a claim.
Brake manufacturers are often held at least partly liable after a Homestead car accident involving a failed truck brake because there are many regulations imposed on manufacturers by the federal government. Brake manufacturers must ensure that their brakes meet strict automatic brake adjustment system rules, and can help trucks stop and decelerate within certain guidelines. If there is any error during the brake design or manufacturing process, the brake manufacturer can be held liable if an accident and injuries occur as a result of the errors.
Trucking companies are also often held at least partly liable after a Homestead truck accident. Trucking companies must ensure that their trucks are safe for the road. This means that if brakes have been recalled due to a known problem, trucking companies are responsible for ensuring that the tires are not on their trucks. Companies can also be held liable if they depower the front brakes to save money on tire replacement costs. Trucking companies are also responsible for correct maintenance on brakes and are required to keep records of maintenance completed. If a company fails to do any of this, they can be held liable if their actions result in an accident and injury.
Drivers are also sometimes held liable after a Homestead truck accident. Drivers are required to complete a pre-trip report which includes inspecting the truck for loose brake components, checking the brake shoes, and inspecting any possible air leaks in the brake chamber.
In addition to the brake manufacturer, driver, and truck carriers, others may be held liable for brake failure leading to a truck accident. If the truck carrier had a third party service perform brake maintenance on their fleet of trucks, for example, and the maintenance was not done correctly, the mechanics may be held liable. If the company loading the truck incorrectly loads the truck and this leads to brake failure, that company can be held liable. In some cases, as well, one company will lease trucks to another truck carrier, and in these cases determining who is responsible for truck and brake maintenance can be challenging.
For all these reasons, it is important to speak with a Homestead personal injury attorney if you have been injured in a truck accident. An attorney can investigate all the causes of an accident and can determine all liable parties. This is crucial, since multiple liable parties can make it more likely that you will recover fair compensation that pays for medical expenses, lost income, and other costs related to your accident.
Commercial trucks use air brakes. While air brakes do not allow truck drivers to stop as quickly as passenger vehicles, they are designed specifically to function with the heavy loads and large size of a commercial truck. However, air brake failures and defects in trucks do constitute one of the major reasons for Florida truck accidents. When the brakes on a truck fail, there is sometimes simply no way for a driver to avoid a collision.
A well-functioning commercial truck with good air brakes takes twice as far to brake as a passenger car. When air brakes fail, a truck may not be able to stop at all. Defective air brakes may be the result of poor maintenance or poor adjustment. They may also have inherent design flaws, which are a problem of the manufacturer.
Other factors may affect air brake performance as well. If a truck is incorrectly loaded or overly loaded, this can affect the air brakes. The extra weight and pressure can cause many things to fail, including the brakes. An inexperienced driver can also speed and handle the truck incorrectly, causing excessive wear and tear on the brakes.
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