You have to rely on a commercial vehicle to be able to do two things well: Stop and go. To encourage safe driving practices for commercial truck drivers, the Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance has established a Brake Safety Week from September 16-22 this year to identify and remove CMV’s with critical brake violations as well as call attention to the dangers of faulty brake systems, according to a news release on their website.
Just like any other vehicle on the road, properly working brakes are crucial to a commercial vehicle. Because of the large amount of cargo and increase road times on these vehicles, the brakes must be routinely inspected and maintained so that they can operate according to the manufacturer’s specifications while the vehicle is out on the roadways.
If a brake system in a commercial vehicle is not working properly or is poorly maintained, this can pose a serious risk to the public.
FAULTY BRAKES CAUSE ACCIDENTS
There’s no doubt about it, faulty brakes cause major accidents. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s Large Truck Crash Causation Study, 32.7% of all large trucks with pre-crash violations had issues with their brakes. In addition, the same study indicated that large trucks involved in an accident where the braking capacity of the truck was critical were 50% more likely to have a brake violation than those trucks in crashes where the truck’s braking capacity was not critical, according to the CVSA website.
In the 2017 Brake Safety Day, 14% of all inspections resulted in a commercial vehicle being taken off the roads due to brake-related violations. The aim of this safety awareness campaign is to reduce the number of crashes caused by faulty brakes that are poorly maintained and removing vehicles that are dangerous to protect commercial vehicle drivers and the general public.
A COMMERCIAL VEHICLE ACCIDENT
When you’re driving a regular car and get into an accident with a commercial truck, the potential for injuries and damage to your vehicle is much greater than a typical car accident due to the sheer size of a commercial truck as well as what kind of load they’re carrying.
Trucking companies can also often be negligent in their responsibilities to maintain their trucks and ensure that they are regulated for safety. They can push their drivers to the limits and ignore the proper weight loading of a tractor-trailer and pressure their drivers to exceed legal limits on driving hours.
Getting into an accident with a tractor-trailer can be life-altering. If you or a loved one has suffered injuries in a commercial vehicle crash in Georgia, contact the Fry | Goehring at 404-969-1284. We can help you pursue compensation and understand your rights.
