Baltimore Truck Accident Lawyers: Maintenance of Brakes and Tires
January 13, 2017
Truck accidents are responsible for some of the most devastating injuries on highways across the country. While certain factors like weather or unexpected road debris can sometimes cause truck accidents, mechanical malfunctions like brake failures and defective tires cause close to one third of all large truck crashes. Fortunately, these can be avoided if drivers and truck companies take the proper steps to maintain and repair their vehicles on a regular basis.
Who is Responsible for Defective Brakes?
Depending on the circumstances, any of the following parties may be responsible for the brakes on a tractor trailer being defective:
- The truck driver
- The loading company
- The owner/operator of the truck
- The company that manufactured the brakes
The federal government has developed safety regulations, which state that all trucks must be able to meet the following requirements:
- Depending on the percentage of the truck’s weight, the big rig must be able to develop a certain braking force.
- A tractor trailer must be able to come to a complete stop from 20 miles per hour at a rate that reflects its size.
- A truck must meet the automatic brake adjustment system requirements.
In addition to the brakes themselves being defective, brakes can fail if the driver or trucking company is negligent in any of the following manners:
- Deliberately unhooking, or depowering the front brakes, or using the trailer brakes instead. Drivers will also slow down by downshifting in an effort to avoid the costs of replacing tires or brakes.
- Using the wrong brake settings and failing to properly maintain brakes. Truck drivers are required to complete pre-trip inspection reports on a daily basis.
- Improperly loading the truck, which can cause brakes to malfunction
Potentially Dangerous Tire Problems
If a large truck has a tire blowout on a highway, this can cause massive damage and potentially fatal injuries. Tire failure is usually due to the following:
- Defective tires: If a manufacturer sells a defective tire, it puts the driver and others on the road at serious risk if the tire fails.
- Failure to maintain tires: Over time, tires will not function properly if they are not well maintained. Trucking companies may also use mismatched tires with varying degrees of wear, mix different types of tires on the same axle, and allow drivers to use tires that do not meet the DOT tread depth requirement.
- Skipping the pre-trip tire inspection: This inspection ensures that potential problems are detected and fixed before the vehicle hits the road.
Baltimore Truck Accident Lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton Represent Injured Victims
If you have been injured in a truck accident involving a big rig that you believe had defective brakes or tires, contact the Baltimore truck accident lawyers at LeViness, Tolzman & Hamilton. We will guide you through the claims process, help determine who is at fault, and obtain the maximum financial compensation for your injuries. To set up a free consultation, call us today at 800-547-4LAW (4529) or contact us online.
Our offices are located in Baltimore, Columbia, Glen Burnie, and Towson, allowing us to represent injured victims throughout Maryland, including those in Anne Arundel County, Carroll County, Harford County, Howard County, Montgomery County, Maryland’s Western Counties, Southern Maryland, and the Eastern Shore, as well as the communities of Catonsville, Essex, Halethorpe, Middle River, Rosedale, Gwynn Oak, Brooklandville, Dundalk, Pikesville, Parkville, Nottingham, Windsor Mill, Lutherville, Timonium, Sparrows Point, Ridgewood, and Elkridge.
