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Accidents involving large commercial trucks or big rigs can occur for a variety of reasons ranging from driver inattention to mechanical failure. In fact, when it comes to truck accidents that caused by equipment failure, the two most common causes stem from tire failure and brake failure.

A study that was sponsored by the Department of Transportation revealed that approximately 29 percent of all truck collisions occurred due to some sort of brake-related problem. Still, Ft. Myers personal injury lawyer Randall Spivey is well aware that many truck crashes are caused by tire issues as well. Let’s take a closer look at each problem.

Truck Accidents Caused by Brake Failure

What actually causes a truck’s brakes to fail? Brake failures can stem from a truck company’s or driver’s negligent act (or failure to act). For instance, one of the more obvious reasons for brake failure comes from a lack of maintenance or poor maintenance practices. Federal rules state that truck companies are required to keep records that can prove that proper maintenance has been done in a timely fashion. Furthermore, all drivers must perform a pre-trip inspection on a daily basis and complete a report of that inspection that describes the condition of both the tractor and trailer equipment.

Brake problems may also arise from improper loading, as well as from depowering the front brakes. A truck’s brakes can fail and/or overheat its load is not distributed evenly. With respect to depowering brakes, some truckers actually depower their front brakes (unhook/depower the front brakes on the truck and solely rely on the trailer’s brakes and downshifting to slow down or stop the truck) on purpose in an effort to save money on brake replacement and tire wear costs. So, if an accident occurs due to a truck’s brake failure, who can be held legally liable?

A number of parties may be responsible for accidents that occur due to brake failure or malfunction, including the truck driver, the brake manufacturer, the party responsible for brake maintenance and the company that loaded the truck.

Truck Accident Caused by Tire Issues

Just about anyone who drives has come across a stray piece of tire in the middle of the highway. Those tire pieces typically end up littering the road after a truck has a blowout. So, what are some of the leading causes of tire failure? One cause stems from a failure to inspect the tires prior to beginning the trip. Frequently, we see truck crashes that are caused by tires that should not have been on the truck in the first place and, had a pre-trip inspection been done on the tires, the trucker would have noticed them ahead of time.

Additionally, too little or too much tire pressure can lead to tire deterioration and ultimately failure. Worn and damaged tires are prone to blowouts, which can result in a loss of control of the truck. Tire failures can also occur due to the tire itself being defective and it was sent from the manufacturer in a defective state.

Dealing with a truck accident is not easy and injured parties should not attempt to handle their cases on their own. If you or a loved one has been hurt in a truck accident, contact the Spivey Law Firm, Personal Injury Attorneys, P.A. as soon as possible to discuss your legal rights and options.